Fire and Ice
by Ruth Joyce
Summary: The final chapter in the Companion Series. (Compiled from Courage In Dark Places and Companion Files) Hiccup and Elsa discover the consequences for being immortal and must confront their personal grief. Tensions arise when Merida is seemingly killed, and they set out to rescue her, meeting an old enemy in the process. Rated T for heavy grief.
1. Chapter 1: The Scream

**Author's Note: So, I took two of my short stories that take place after Stone-Age Companions, "Courage In Dark Places" and the final chapters in the "Companion Files," and combined them into a longer story. It's not exactly the same, a lot of details have been changed. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any of the characters mentioned in this story. They belong to Dreamworks and Disney respectively.**

* * *

"Just one more time, North," Hiccup begged. "Then you can take it off."

"What on earth do you want to time travel for?" North asked. "Does this have something to do with MK?"

"Sort of," Hiccup admitted. "But I've always regretted one thing for nearly my entire life as a Guardian. I've put it off for a long time."

"We don't use time travel to fix our regrets, Hiccup. It doesn't matter how long we've put it off."

"It's…it's Astrid."

"Oh, I see how it is. You miss her. That's alright, there's nothing wrong with that. But you cannot go back in time just because you want to see her again."

"No, it's not like that. I needed to be there for her and I wasn't. Please, North, let me go. She needs me."

North sighed. "It's just you who's going?"

 _And me!_ Toothless jumped around to get his attention.

"And Toothless."

"How much time will you spend there?"

"Not more than a few hours. It's hard to say, I wasn't there the first time."

"Don't do anything dangerous, don't talk to anyone other than your family, don't stay any longer than necessary. Got it?"

"So I can go?!"

"One last time. This is it. After this, I _really am_ taking the time travel feature off. Jack decided to travel to the 53rd Century with Rapunzel last week. Without my permission. This thing is more trouble than it's worth." But Hiccup wasn't listening. "Are you sure you want to do this? You look scared."

"I'm not scared. I want to do this for her…but it will be hard."

"That's ok. It is the last time you will get to see her. It is natural to be sad."

 _Oh, I love it when North gives lessons on emotions_ , Toothless said sarcastically.

"It's the last time she'll get to see me, too."

 _Whoa, wait. Hold on a second. When exactly are we going?_ Toothless asked.

Hiccup ignored him and took the snowglobe from North. He stood for a moment, studying it in his hands. Then he drew it close and whispered the date that was forever burned into his memory.

 _What! No, you can't do this!_ Toothless said. _It's too much! You could run into yourself! I could run into myself!_

 _Jump in the portal, Toothless,_ Hiccup said coldly.

He was so determined he almost looked angry, or like he was headed into battle. Toothless wanted to try and dissuade his friend, but he knew nothing could be done. Hiccup's mind was already made up. Reluctantly, the dragon jumped into the swirling mass of colors and crashed in the town square of New Berk.

 _Ow! I forgot how much time traveling hurts,_ he complained.

 _Never mind about that_ , Hiccup said, looking around.

 _This is a really stupid plan. What were you thinking?_

 _What would you give for more time with Luna?_ Hiccup countered.

Toothless looked away, and Hiccup focused on the task at hand. It had been so long, and the town had changed so much over the years, he struggled to remember the old layout and reorient himself.

It was a grey, snowy day; Jack must have been upset about something. But it was more than that. People walked quickly from one place to the next, talking in whispers. Only one person had noticed him, Fishlegs' youngest grandson, Vidar, who had just turned 13, if Hiccup remembered correctly. He stood on the edge of the square, mouth hanging open in shock.

"We didn't expect you to get here this quickly," he stammered.

"Please tell me I'm not too late."

"No, she's still here. But hurry."

"Don't tell anyone you saw me. Find Zephyr later this evening and she'll explain everything to you."

 _I found her, I know where she is!_ Toothless said, sniffing the air.

Wasting no time, Hiccup leapt onto his back and they flew to the old homestead. The dragon door had been left open, so he took the liberty of flying straight in. It was his house, after all.

"Da?" a gentle voice called out hopefully.

Hiccup dismounted and quickly ran to Astrid's bedroom. Cecilia was sitting in a rocking chair in the corner. She stood up at the sound of his footsteps. She was a mirror image of Astrid. In fact, if her blue eyes hadn't been so vacant, Hiccup would have guessed that he had come to the wrong time, a time when Astrid was young again.

"Da, is it you?"

"Yeah," Hiccup said, swallowing. "It's me."

"Are you alright?"

She took a few steps towards the sound of his voice, trying to find him. Hiccup crossed the remaining distance and hugged her tightly.

"I'm here. I'm fine. Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?"

"Yes, you told me yesterday."

"No, I didn't. I'm from the future. But I'll explain later. How's your mom?"

"I don't know. She hasn't spoken in hours. She was still alive last time I checked, but I think she's sleeping again."

"Where are your siblings?"

"Nuffink is trying to fix the well again, and Zephyr went to get some fresh water. Should I try to find them?"

"Yes, please. I'll stay here."

Cecilia took her cane and slowly made her way out of the room. Hiccup finally allowed himself to look at the bed. He had hoped that he would see a different picture than last time, but it was exactly the same. Astrid, so old and frail, lay in the exact same position as she had when a younger version of himself had found her later on that day. Hiccup realized there wasn't much time left.

 _Are you ok?_ Toothless asked from the front room.

 _Yes. Stay where you are for now._

With a deep breath, he crouched next to the bed, gently caressing her wrinkled hands. And just like always, her eyes fluttered open. Her blue, blue eyes that were forever young.

"Morning sleepy head," Hiccup whispered.

"Hiccup," Astrid breathed. She smiled weakly. "You're here. I'm not dying today."

"Always a fighter," he said quietly.

"As long as you stay with me, I know I won't die. I tried to tell you when you left, but you wouldn't listen. You were in such a hurry."

"I know. I'm sorry. I should have stayed longer."

"When we were young, when Anna became a Guardian, I saw you. Older you from the future. He told me that you wouldn't be with me when I died."

She paused and looked at him. Hiccup tried not to cry, but nevertheless, a few tears slipped through and spilled over.

"You…you are not my Hiccup," Astrid realized.

"No. I am also from the future. Your Hiccup is flying towards Berk right now. He tried so hard to get back in time."

"I am dying."

"Yes. But this time, you aren't alone."

"Everything works out," Astrid remembered. "And Lilith…"

"Cecilia's descendant," Hiccup said. "She's growing up fine. Elsa's taking good care of her."

"Oh," Astrid sighed. "Good. Where are the children?"

"Cecilia went to find them."

"Did you bring Toothless?"

 _Have I been summoned?_ Toothless poked his head in the door.

 _Come on in, but gently._

 _I'm not an idiot_ , Toothless said, lightly walking up to Astrid.

"Have you been taking good care of my Hiccup, boy?" she asked, laying a hand on his snout.

 _I've been trying._

"He says he's been trying," Hiccup translated.

"It's been so long since I felt dragon scales. Did you miss us?"

"Terribly. It was almost more than I could bear. There was always more family, of course. But I never loved anyone more than you."

"I must have been so boring for you in old age."

"No, never boring. It hurt to see you getting older, knowing I never could. Before I became a Guardian, I used to daydream about us growing old together."

"That was your price for becoming immortal. It must have been hard."

"It was. In my mind, you were still that tough, hot warrior that I fell in love with, who beat the crap out of me when we were younger."

"Was it worth it though? Do you ever regret becoming a Guardian?"

Hiccup noticed her eyes were starting to droop closed, and her breathing was becoming more irregular. Toothless sensed it, too.

 _She doesn't have much time left._

 _Go tell the others to hurry_ , he told Toothless. "I love my life as a Guardian," he said aloud. "I couldn't give it up now. But I do regret having to leave you behind. Sometimes I wish you would have been chosen to become a Guardian too. Or at least an immortal spirit like Jill."

"You envy Jack and Rapunzel."

"Maybe a little," Hiccup confessed guiltily. "But don't tell them."

Astrid smiled. "You _are_ my Hiccup."

"Did you ever regret that I became a Guardian? Or that you married me?"

"No," she breathed. "I was scared. I was afraid you would leave me. But I never regretted loving you. I wouldn't have anyone else in the world."

At that moment, Toothless came back with the children. Zephyr, who had overcome her shyness and become the greatest chieftess of New Berk. Nuffink, who had traveled the world and come back with marvelous new inventions. And finally Cecilia, wise beyond her years and the emotional pillar of the family. However different their personalities, and however different they looked, at the moment they all were concerned for their mother.

"We're here, mom," Zephyr said, helping Cecilia to the bed.

"How are the grandchildren?"

"Mine are fine, they're all at school," Nuffink said.

"And Dagfinn is watching over our babies," Zephyr said.

"Good. They will all grow up to be fine Vikings. Cecilia, you and your husband will have children, too, someday. I'm sorry I won't get to meet them."

Hiccup across the bed at his youngest daughter, remembering that she had only been married for about a year.

"But you only have to live for a few more months!" Cecilia said, suddenly emotional.

"Please, mom, you have to try."

"Are you…"

"I wasn't going to tell anyone yet," Cecilia said.

"I'm glad you told me. Now I know you'll be happy. You will be a good mother."

"You have to fight," Cecilia whispered.

"I can't," Astrid said. Her voice was now so weak it was hard to hear. "It is inevitable. Tell them, Hiccup."

"I'm sorry," Hiccup said, looking at his children.

"You can't give up on her," Nuffink insisted.

"I'm not. But I'm from the future. The present me is still flying towards Berk. By the time I get here…"

"I'll be dead," Astrid whispered.

"Yeah." Hiccup had to swallow again. "So I time traveled back, so I could be with you."

"And today is the day she dies," Zephyr said, her voice thick and dry.

"Even I could tell you that," Astrid said, chuckling.

But the laugh turned into a cough, and she couldn't speak for several minutes. Hiccup took the time to explain to the girls in more detail how he had gotten there, and what was going to happen when the present version of him arrived.

"I won't be strong for you. I'm sorry."

"But you're strong for us now," Cecilia pointed out. "You came back after all these years, and you're choosing to relive it again so you can be here with us."

"Yeah," Hiccup said, smiling. He had forgotten how clearly Cecilia could see situations, despite being blind.

Astrid could barely breathe now. She lifted her hand, and Hiccup took it between his.

"Hey. I'm still here. I won't leave you."

Somehow, she managed the strength to pry her eyes open. "I love you," she whispered. She looked around the room and sighed deeply. "All of you."

Using the last of her energy, she squeezed Hiccup's hand. He could feel her pulse slowing. Gently, he leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"I love you," he said. Then, in a whisper so low that only Astrid could hear, he said, "Cecilia names the baby Astrid."

And those were the last words she would ever hear. When Hiccup pulled back, Astrid was smiling peacefully, and you could have sworn she was sleeping. But Hiccup knew otherwise. He pressed his forehead to hers and silently screamed.

"She's gone, isn't she?" Cecilia asked.

Zephyr collapsed on the bed as gut-wrenching sobs wracked her thin frame. Hiccup turned and clasped her in his arms, sweetly kissing her forehead.

 _Grieve later, comfort now_. Astrid wasn't the only reason he came back.

Hiccup stayed as long as he could, comforting his three children. He had missed them so much. But finally, Toothless reminded him that their previous selves had almost arrived. So, painfully, he said goodbye.

 _I can smell us, we're close_ , Toothless said. _We can't use the portal here, we might see it._

 _We didn't see anything other than the house that day_ , Hiccup said.

 _I'm not taking chances_ , Toothless said, running towards the woods.

Hiccup followed him. Now that he had said goodbye, he wanted to leave as quickly as possible. He knew what would happen when he found Astrid, and didn't want to live through that part again. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw himself and Toothless flying desperately over New Berk towards the house.

"Home," he said almost hysterically to the snowglobe.

He threw it. His heart was pounding in desperation; the portal seemed to open in slow motion. Hiccup was about to jump in when it happened, and he froze.

The Scream.

A scream so full of agony and heartbreak that it had left him unable to talk for days. The Grief Scream, Cecilia had called it. After that, the roars of Thunderdrums and Screaming Deaths seemed like nothing to the Vikings. Later, they told Hiccup that the Grief Scream had been heard across all of Berk. Even old Gustav, who had been fishing on the other side of the island, had covered his ears and wondered what had happened. Hiccup collapsed to the ground, unable to bear both the Scream and the memories.

Merida appeared by his side via wisp almost instantly, much to the shock of them both. Hiccup remembered how North had immediately sensed something had happened, and sent for her and Jack. But even his cousin wouldn't be able to console Hiccup. Nobody would realize it until later, but the Scream had left him temporarily deaf. The only one he could hear was Toothless, and most of the time he ignored him. Future Toothless roared at her to go up the hill to the village.

"Hiccup!" she exclaimed. "What's going on?"

"Astrid!" Hiccup cried, tears streaming down his face. "It's not me, I'm from the future!"

"Why would yew come back for this?" Merida asked, kneeling beside him.

"Because I missed it," Hiccup yelled, his voice raw.

 _Hiccup, we have to go!_ the future Toothless was saying. _Hiccup! Hiccup! The portal will close without us!_

Merida was thinking the same thing. "Go home, Hiccup. Find me there. Take care of him, Toothless."

She helped him to his feet and practically threw him through the portal, Toothless bounding after him. Looking up, he saw ten-year-old Lilith curled up in the royal library. She looked up from her book and gasped. The dragon roared at her urgently, standing protectively over Hiccup, still curled in the fetal position on the ground. Lilith jumped up and ran out of the library.

"Mom! It's Hiccup and Toothless! Something's wrong!"

Toothless nudged him urgently, but he couldn't move.

 _I knew it was too much for him._

In a moment, Jack, Rapunzel, and Elsa were there beside him.

"Hiccup, what is it? What happened?" Rapunzel asked gently. "Are you hurt?"

Toothless tried to explain, but unfortunately, neither of them spoke dragonese, and Hiccup was still paralyzed. Jack lifted him onto Toothless' back and led them to their room in the palace. Elsa walked over to him as Jack and Rapunzel moved him onto the bed. She placed a hand over his heart and instantly drew back in shock.

"Elsa? What's wrong?" Rapunzel asked.

Elsa stared at Hiccup in almost sympathetic horror, tears streaming down her cheeks unbidden. "I've only seen that much pain in a few other people," she whispered. "Dad, can I talk with you for a minute?"

"Yeah, sure."

They retreated to a dark corner of the room and spoke in low tones while Rapunzel began to sing her song.

"Have you ever seen him like this before?"

"Once, a very long time ago. What did you feel?" Jack asked quietly.

"Grief," Elsa said. "I can hardly ever sense it like that unless it's over a loved one. When a death like that happens it brings up so much love…it's overpowering."

"He was like this when Astrid died," Jack remembered.

"But how?" Elsa wondered. "Why Hiccup, why now?"

"I don't know…"

At that moment, Rapunzel joined them, the glow slowing fading from her hair. "It didn't work. Maybe he's depressed or something. Maybe I should go get Anna…"

"No."

The three of them turned. Hiccup was lying in the exact same position, his eyes fixed on the same point.

"Hiccup, did you say that?"

"Anna can't see me."

"But why?" Rapunzel asked.

"Kristoff," he said after a moment.

Mutely the Frosts stared at each other, trying to figure it out. Then something clicked for Jack.

"Hiccup, tell me you didn't go back in time to see Astrid."

Hiccup opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Only a strangled cry. Toothless looked at them mournfully and nodded. Jack ran a hand through his hair worriedly.

"The only other time I've seen him like this was when Astrid died," he whispered to the girls. "He was called out on Guardian duties, and when he came back she was gone. I'm guessing he asked North for one last trip, and traveled back in time to be with her."

"But what does all that have to do with Kristoff?" Rapunzel asked, confused.

"You and I, Rapunzel, were the lucky ones. We're both immortal. But for just about everyone else, it's immortal being, mortal lover. This is Anna's future. "

"And mine," Elsa said quietly, thinking of Lilith.

"If Anna comes, tell her Hiccup's sick and I'm looking after him," Rapunzel said. "You two go on like normal."

"No, I'll stay," Elsa offered. "He needs me. Dad, watch Lilith for me, okay?"

Jack nodded, and, after one last glance over his shoulder, he left. It was several hours before Hiccup spoke again. Merida had arrived, called by Jack, not too long before.

"I don't know which time was worse," he said. It was so quiet that at first they all thought they had imagined it. But then he continued. "The time I wasn't there, or the time I was."

"Do you regret it?" Elsa asked softly.

Hiccup looked directly at her for a long time.

"No," he said finally. "But I sure wish it didn't end like this."

Elsa reached out and took his hand. "I know."


	2. Chapter 2: Only A Child

The first time he had seen Astrid's death, it was two weeks before Hiccup could do anything. The second time, it lasted less than a day. When Elsa returned the next morning, she found Hiccup tightening his armor, stone-faced.

"Um, hi," she said. "Are you hungry? You haven't eaten…"

"No."

"Oh. Well, I'm glad you're up and about. Wait, where are you going?"

Hiccup grabbed his satchel and tried to get to the door. "I don't know. Anywhere. I have to get back to work. People need me."

Elsa froze the door shut, stopping Hiccup in his tracks. He turned to face her, annoyed and confused.

"So, are you going to bottle it all up again?" she asked, pursing her lips.

"What are you talking about?"

"You just watched your wife _die_ , Hiccup. Take a break. Deal with it. Grieve, recover. You don't have to go right back into work again. People can wait. _You_ need you right now."

"I'm fine." he insisted evenly. He turned to the door and tried to break it open.

"No, I really don't think you are. This is exactly what you've been doing for the past centuries, isn't it? You were just trying to distract yourself from the pain. Oh, this all makes sense now! Why you missed so many occasions, why you were so tired and went to bed early, why you were never here."

"That's not true," he started.

"You missed Merida's birthday! Like, 8 years in a row!"

He looked to the floor. "Look, when you've been alive as long as I have, or I guess dead, then you lose track of time."

"Again, with the feeble excuses," Elsa sighed. "You need an outlet. Have Anna build you a forest in the middle of nowhere. You and Toothless can burn it down. But trust me, bottling it up does not work."

"What do you know?" he snapped, suddenly angry. "You don't know pain!"

Elsa froze, back erect and her eyes shining. Her hands glowed blue with ice she was just barely holding back. Immediately, Hiccup felt a small pang of fear, knowing he had gone too far. For a long moment, they were silent.

"I-I'm sorry," he stammered. "That wasn't fair."

"Oh, you know what _wasn't_ fair? I was kidnapped from my family," she finally said. Her voice was surprisingly even, though it was spitting fire. "I grew up with an evil witch and a vampire who abused and used me for 20 years while you did nothing about it!"

"We had no choice!"

"No _choice_?!" she screamed, snapping. "You _knew_ where I was. You knew what Maggie and Mavis were capable of. Don't say the Man in the Moon led Anna to you on Berk for a reason. Don't say he didn't give you the option of rescuing me because Merida told me how she watched over the ice castle that nearly killed me to make." The temperature plummeted and wind tore the windows open, but she didn't notice. "Don't you dare tell me how it nearly killed you to not to be able to help me because I nearly died so many times it's a wonder I wasn't made a Guardian while in the witch's presence. I might still be a child in your eyes, but don't you dare treat me like one, and don't you dare patronize me about pain!"

Suddenly, Elsa realized she had created a storm in the room. She saw Hiccup's fear and a look of horror swept over her. Crying in a panic, she bent over, pushing her folded hands into her stomach. The snow and wind disappeared, but she stayed there for a moment longer. Hiccup wished he could contradict her, but he knew it was a lie. He did still see her as a child, though he hadn't realized it until then. And in that moment, they were both just broken children. He didn't know what to say.

Elsa straightened and looked over at him, barely holding back her angry tears. "Do whatever you want, I don't care. You obviously won't listen to me."

She turned to the door, but instead of unfreezing it, she exploded it with such force that it shook the whole left wing of the palace. Hiccup flinched, although he didn't mean to. Either Elsa didn't notice, or she didn't care. She kept on walking and didn't look back. Hiccup sat on the bed, alone. She was right. She was right about so many things he wasn't sure where to begin fixing them.

 _Maybe some food would be a good place to start._

Hiccup jumped. He had forgotten that Toothless was still there.

 _Yeah, food sounds good,_ he agreed wearily.

 _Burning down a forest doesn't seem so bad either._

Hiccup smiled faintly. _Ok, fine. After we get some food we'll go to Corona and talk to Anna._

"Um, hi." Hiccup jumped, expecting to see Elsa, but it was only Rapunzel. "Is everything…ok in here?"

"Oh, yes. Maybe." Rapunzel eyed the splintered door frame skeptically. "Well, no. Not really," he admitted, sighing.

"Do I want to know what happened?" she asked, shivering.

"That's a little complicated. There were some problems, we identified them but don't know how to solve them yet. Lots of soul searching."

 _Stop being sarcastic,_ Toothless said. _We all know that means you're covering up your pain._

 _Not helping_. "You, uh, might want to talk to Elsa," he said quietly. "Toothless and I are going to get some food and then burn down a forest."

Rapunzel raised an eyebrow but didn't question it. "Have fun with that. Let me know if there are any accidental casualties."

* * *

Hiccup lay flat on his stomach on Toothless, melding their thoughts together so it felt like he had become the dragon. It felt good to watch an entire forest in the middle of a desert engulfed in flames, to scream where nobody could hear, and to cry until there were no tears left. The heat was sweltering, almost unbearable, but it was better than bottling the emotions like Elsa had said.

Toothless retreated to the clouds after a while, and it was immensely refreshing. Hiccup changed positions so his back was resting on Toothless', just resting. His mind was completely blank, just contemplating the beauty of the sky and clouds. He fell asleep like that, and Toothless took him to Merida. Like the other Guardians and spirits, Merida had made a home base for herself, high in the misty mountains of Scotland, where the will o' the wisps were seen frequently, there were plenty of animals to hunt, and nobody for miles around. It was a good spot for finding courage.

"We were wonderin' where yew went," she said when Hiccup finally woke. "Ah'm glad Toothless had the guid sense to bring ya here."

 _Thank you very much_ , Toothless snorted sarcastically.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you," Hiccup said.

"Don't apologize," Merida said gently. She was roasting a rabbit over the fire. "I'm glad you finally got it out of you. Anger's just a part of the grieving process. You remember when me dad died, and I disappeared for days."

"Yeah, and we found you passed out with no arrows after going on a shooting rampage through the forest. You killed two bears, eight foxes and about a hundred squirrels and rabbits."

"Yes, I did," Merida said proudly. "And Dunbroch had enough food to last us through the winter. But then I was able to move on. I still missed dad, of course. I still miss him today. But I was able to keep living life."

"How?" Hiccup asked.

"Have you forgotten all over again? Because I found another purpose. I trained my brothers how to be leaders and fighters. After Stoick died, you had to focus on leading your tribe and reconnecting with your mom. You just have to find your purpose again."

"I did have a purpose. It was being a Guardian."

"It might have been," Merida admitted. "But you used it as a way to forget. You were too desperate, you didn't really care about it on its own."

"Yes, I did…" he started.

"Ugh, no wonder Elsa got so mad," Merida moaned. "You are too stubborn."

Hiccup's face fell. "What all did Elsa tell you?"

"Not much," Merida said, surprised. "Just that you wouldn't listen and you argued. Why?"

"Because she still feels like we view her as a child."

Merida sank onto the log beside him. "Oh. We do, don't we?"

"Not as a little girl just…young. Like a teenager."

"Like you when you trained Toothless?" Merida asked gently. "Like me when I changed me mum into a bear."

"But she's older than that!" Hiccup insisted. "She doesn't look like it, since she's immortal, but she is."

"Yeah. It is hard though, I mean we did watch her grow up."

"We watched her grow up in an abusive household and we didn't rescue her in time," Hiccup muttered bitterly.

"You know we didn't have a choice," Merida sighed.

"Did we? Maybe we were supposed to rescue her the moment she was kidnapped. Maybe we were supposed to go back in time _ourselves_ to tell someone where she would be. Maybe because we didn't, the Moon sent Anna back in time to where we _would_ have rescued her."

Merida suddenly looked sick. "She missed out on her childhood. Maybe she feels like we're trying to give that back to her—and maybe we are—but that's not what she needs. Her kidnapping doesn't need to be ignored or forgotten. She needs just as much help as you do."

"But how?"

"You can't think clearly, you're still upset. So, first apologize to her. Actually, we both will. Then, go out and find your purpose. Do something unrelated to being a Guardian and take a little vacation. Once you've figured yourself out, then come home and start working on your relationships here."

 _Have I really been ignoring them all, Toothless?_

Toothless opened one eye and looked at him. _Kind of._

"Ok, good plan," Hiccup said, standing. "Toothless…" The dragon sat up expectantly. "You know how you were wondering the other night how long it would take to fly around the world?"

 _Ooh! Ooh! Are we going to fly around the world?!_

"We're going to fly around the world," Hiccup answered, smiling. "And, we're going to see every bit of land there is to see."

"That'll take awhile," Merida said.

"Yeah, but I'll be doing my Guardian job as I go along," Hiccup said. "Fun, right?"

"Don't forget step one," Merida said, hoisting her bag over her shoulder.

"Oh, yeah," Hiccup said. "The hard part. Elsa."


	3. Chapter 3: Dark Magic

It was hard to change your mindset about people, especially if they've seemed a certain way for so long. But Hiccup had made a lot of progress over the past twenty years with Elsa. The defining moment came when she became a grandmother.

Lilith named her baby Valerie Rose, after her biological mother. Valerie had her mother's brown hair and her father's golden brown eyes. The first five years were her happiest, until her father fell ill and died. But she still had her mother and grandmother, and great-grandparents. Then, the unthinkable happened.

Hiccup was in the royal Arendelle library when he heard Elsa screaming. He instantly dropped the book and ran, fear increasing with each step. There weren't many reasons a Guardian would scream, especially one as calm and collected as Elsa. Finally, he made it to the fifth floor and burst into Valerie's playroom, sword drawn. By that time, it was too late. Hiccup dropped the sword at the sight before him.

Merida was already there, leaning out the window firing an arrow at the attacker. Ten year old Valerie was hiding in the corner, tangled in the fallen curtains and trying to get free. He could barely hear her over Elsa's sobs. Elsa was crouched near the center of the room, holding Lillith's body and trying desperately to keep her alive. A black arrow lay smoldering on the floor beside them, and it didn't take Anna to tell that it reeked of dark magic. Rapunzel pushed past Hiccup's petrified form and ran to Elsa and Lilith.

"Hiccup," she yelled. "Call the guards! There's been an assassination attempt!"

Hiccup ran down the hall and started clanging the servants' bell as hard as he could, yelling for help at the same time. Dimly, he wondered where the guards on this floor were in the first place.

Assassination. Magic.

It seemed too familiar, and it took a moment to remember this was exactly how Elsa's kidnapping had gone. Jack came first, flying at full speed and nearly hitting the wall at the end of the corridor. One look at his face told Hiccup that Jack was remembering that awful night, too.

Hiccup ran back into the nursery; Valerie had gotten free of the curtain and was crouched next to her mother, and Jack had already flown out in search of the villain. Rapunzel was singing but nothing was happening to Lilith.

"It's dark magic, I can't…I can't do anything," Rapunzel said.

 _Anna_. Hiccup pulled a portal from his bag and threw it, yelling Anna's name. She stepped through a moment later, happy as ever, but instantly cried in alarm. She knelt next to Lilith and waved her hands over the body experimentally.

"Can you draw the magic out?" Hiccup asked breathlessly. Instinctively, he pulled Valerie into his arms, hugging her comfortingly.

"I can try," Anna yelled back over Elsa's panic.

She tried everything she could think of, but it only drained her. Elsa had her palms pressed into the thick carpet, arms shaking. She watched her sister intently, but the moment she saw defeat, she threw her arms around Lilith again.

"Rapunzel, take Valerie," Hiccup said, handing her over. "Mer…" he turned, but suddenly trailed off as he noticed her collapsed on the floor. "Merida!" he yelled, running to her side. "You're hurt!"

Merida looked up at him sadly, pressing her hands against an arrow wound. Another black arrow lay smoldering at her feet.

"He got me," she gasped. "But don't worry, I got him so it won't be hard to catch him."

Anna quickly joined them. "It's the same kind of magic, I can't do anything," she cried as Elsa continued to howl in her grief.

"Not to worry, lass, it ain't yer fault," she said, grimacing. "Hiccup, I think I'm dying."

Hiccup wrapped an arm around her back to support her. "No, you can't die. You're immortal now."

"Ah'm sorry, Hiccup," she whispered. "Ah can't fight this one."

Her eyes fluttered closed as she leaned into Hiccup's chest. Before he could respond, Merida vanished into thin air. Hiccup grasped the empty space where she had lain in panic.

"No!" he yelled.

Anna's eyes grew wide. "Where did she…how?" she stammered.

Hiccup closed his eyes shut in pain. He could _not_ lose Merida. Anna laid a tender hand on his shoulder in sympathy. Just then, Kristoff burst into the room, a little slower than he was in his youth. Anna rose to greet him.

"What happened?" he asked, breathlessly.

"Assignation," Anna whispered, beckoning Valerie to her side. "There was dark magic, mom and I couldn't do anything. We lost Merida, too."

Kristoff instinctively picked up Valerie, who was about the same age as his own grandchildren. "What can I do?"

"Take care of Valerie for us," Anna said, shrugging helplessly. "Elsa and Hiccup need us."

"Did they catch who did it?"

Before she could answer, Jack flew back into the room on an icy breeze. "Hiccup, Anna, come with me," he commanded, glaring coldly. "We caught him."

"Who is he? Did you kill him?" Kristoff asked.

"Heraclio, one of the guards," Jack seethed. "And no, we haven't killed him yet. We need to know if he's working alone or not. Which is why I need you two for the interrogation."

"I'll call Toothless," Hiccup said blankly, rising.

"Where's Merida?" Jack asked.

"Doesn't matter," Hiccup said, looking at Elsa. "She's not the priority right now. Let's go."

* * *

"Fine, fine I'll tell you!" Heraclio shrieked as Toothless's nearly swallowed his head for the third time.

Hiccup sighed with relief. It had taken way too long to break him.

"Great," Jack said enthusiastically. "I hope this is a valid excuse."

Heraclio shook the dragon slobber from his eyes before he spoke. "You people are too dangerous, and have been on the throne for too long. I was doing what's best for the kingdom, where you clearly could not!"

"What do you mean "you people?" Royals?" Anna asked.

"Magic," Heraclio spat. "Magic is dangerous, and needs to be removed from Arendelle once and for all!"

The trio stared at him blankly for a long moment. Jack threw his staff to the ground angrily, freezing the room in a coat of ice.

"Lilith," he said, trying to control his temper. "Was…ADOPTED. That's the WHOLE POINT. She was NORMAL, she didn't _have_ magic. She was the first non-magic monarch in SIXTY years!"

"No," Hiccup said angrily, pulling Jack away from the prisoner. "That was not "the point" of Lilith. Lilith was not a political pawn, she was a terrified five-year-old girl who had heard the death of her parents. Lilith was adopted so she could have a family, because Elsa loved her…" he turned back to Heraclio. "And you just took away Elsa's daughter and Valerie's mother!" he yelled.

"You just made this whole situation worse!" Anna said, melting the ice around the room. "You are old enough to remember the winter when Elsa was kidnapped, and my father in his grief nearly killed everyone in Arendelle."

"Yeah, thanks for bringing that up," Jack snapped.

"Yeah, well now it's going to happen again. In trying to get rid of magic damage, you just caused some! Congratulations."

"Oh, did I?" Heraclio asked, feigning surprise.

There was another stunned silence as everyone realized one thing. Heraclio laughed cruelly.

"It's not cold," Anna whispered. "Why is not cold?"

"What did you do to her?" Jack said, hooking his staff around the prisoner's neck.

"I actually studied the kidnapping incident so as to plan this," Heraclio said offhandedly. "True, I was unable to cover my magic trail; I didn't think the arrow would leave a trace on me. The original plan was not just to get the Queen but also the Queen Mother. If it hadn't been for that blasted archer being there I would have succeeded. But my plan B did succeed. I did get one thing right that Maggie did not. See, she left you hope. A tiny piece of hope, but hope all the same. Elsa was still alive when she was taken, so there was a possibility of getting her back. I took away all of Elsa's hope. There is nothing she can do. That breaks a parent more than you could ever understand."

"Yeah, well I DO understand," Hiccup yelled.

He kicked the chair, causing Heraclio to smash his face into the cobblestone floor. The ropes around him snapped, and he scrambled to his feet, wiping away the blood from his nose. Hiccup lunged forward, instantly putting a hand around his throat, his eyes burning in the most immense anger Jack or Anna had ever seen. Heraclio squirmed beneath his grip and struggled to breathe.

"How _dare_ you cause someone that kind of pain?" he screamed, his voice breaking with anger and grief. "Have you ever experienced the loss of a child? Obviously not, because no one who has experienced that kind of torture would _ever_ wish that on anyone, even his worst enemy." He threw Heraclio down to the ground and stood over him threateningly. "Do you even have children, you cruel, heartless monster!"

Toothless jumped in the gap between them and pushed Hiccup into a corner, growling defensively.

 _Stop!_ he warned. _You can't kill him now!_

 _Oh, you bet I would._

He tried to push past the dragon but Toothless pinned him down.

 _Let me go!_ Hiccup cried. _You don't understand._

 _I lost my family too, you know!_ Toothless snorted.

Rapunzel entered the cell, tears streaming down her face as she looked down at the fallen guard. Jack created some frozen shackles that even Heraclio wouldn't be able to break and roughly handed him over to some terrified guards in the hallway.

"Lock him away," Rapunzel said with a quiet authority. "Make sure he doesn't get out…or that no one else goes in."

Exhausted, Hiccup slid to the floor, burying his head in his hands and fighting back tears. Anna stood shaking on the other side of the room.

"Is this what it's like…" she started, choking on her words. She looked down at her own hands in terror as she thought about her own son. And Kristoff was getting older too…

"Anna, don't think about that now," Jack said, taking her hands in his own. "That could still be several years ahead of us. And you won't be alone, I promise."

"Hiccup," Rapunzel said softly, kneeling beside him. "I need you to come with me." Hiccup turned to face her questioningly. "I'm sorry. I know this is causing bad flashbacks and memories but…" Her voice broke. "Elsa won't let go of the body. I don't know what to say. You're the only parent who's lost a child."

"Three," Hiccup whispered, avoiding her gaze as the pain threatened to overwhelm him.

"I know. I heard you before I came in."

"Don't make me do this. I just lost Merida, too."

"There may be a way to get Merida back again, but we can never bring Lilith back. I'm afraid the grief is too much for her. Please, Hiccup, she _needs_ you."

Sighing, he nodded and left the dungeon. There were guards in the corridor this time; guards who looked guilty, angry, and heartbroken at the same time. The coroner also waited in the corridor, unable to retrieve the body. The nursery was nearly the same as he had left it, except the room was empty save for Elsa and Lilith. Elsa had stopped screaming now. It had turned into quiet gut-wrenching sobs that made it hard to breathe and shook her whole body. Hiccup stumbled forward, remembering how Cecilia, Lilith's ancestor, had died at nearly the same age.

Elsa looked up at him in pain. She tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come. Hiccup nodded; he understood without words and she knew it. There is nothing you can say to a grieving parent. No amount of words will make it better. He wrapped his arms around both of them, and she leaned into him.

"Make it stop," Elsa moaned. "I can't stand it, it's too much pain."

"Find something and focus on it," Hiccup whispered. "Anything, no matter how small. Find it and don't think about anything else. Memorize that one tiny thing."

She tried to look around, but there were too many memories in that room and she could see Lilith was lying before her. So Elsa squeezed her eyes shut and forced herself to be quiet. She realized she could hear Hiccup's heartbeat through his tunic and she seized it. She counted them all the way to a hundred, and controlled her breathing. By the end of a hundred beats, their hearts had synchronized. Slowly, Elsa relaxed her grip on Lilith. Hiccup slid his hand into hers and she held it tight. Then he shifted, and Elsa felt Lilith's body being dragged away. Her eyes snapped open and she reached for her daughter, but Hiccup was faster. He threw a portal behind them and Elsa found herself being pulled backwards.

"No!" she yelled.

She tried to leap away, which didn't work well from a sitting position, but Hiccup caught her around the waist and held on. A moment later, she was surrounded by howling wind and snow of Antarctica. The wasteland froze the moment she landed, snowflakes suspended in the air. Elsa stood in shock and looked around, completely at a loss. She turned to Hiccup, a look of betrayal on her face.

"You didn't…"

"I'm sorry," he said, slowly getting to his feet.

Elsa looked down at her shaking hands. "If you've brought me here for an "outlet," then it's not funny and it won't work. You don't know…"

"Three children, Elsa," he said, shutting her off. "Three. I watched my father get blasted to death. I was there when my mother couldn't fight off the fever. I missed Astrid's death because I was out being a Guardian and couldn't say goodbye. Cecilia missed her footing and hit her head. It was all my fault. Nuffink died trying to save people from a fire. Zephyr may have been the oldest ruler of the Berkians, but she died too. Not to mention I had to bury five grandchildren, and fifteen great-grandchildren before I left Berk for good. And I just lost _Merida_ ," he cried. "So yes, I actually do know what you're going through, and it kills me."

Elsa blinked in shock. "What?"

"There was a second arrow meant for you. But when Merida attacked, he got her instead. She's gone."

He put his fist to his mouth, choking back the sobs. Elsa looked helplessly around the tundra, as if hoping to see Lilith still alive, but could hardly see through her tears. Hiccup gently pulled her into his arms to comfort her, although they both needed it.

"Why…?" she sobbed, desperately grasping his tunic. "I didn't know it would hurt so much. Why didn't they tell me?"

"Because," Hiccup sighed brokenly. "They don't understand that it's not dying that hurts. It's living. It means getting your heart broken again and again. It means loving too much when you know you shouldn't. It's wishing that you could stop caring and not being able to because you know it's worth it."

"I don't understand, how can she just be _gone_!" she screamed. "Is this just what's going to keep happening over and over for the rest of my life?"

The snow around them began to fall again, and the wind whipped around them. In her panic, Elsa pushed him away, folding her arms to her chest to control it. She closed her eyes and bent over as another wave of grief hit.

"Go home, it's not safe for you here."

"I'm a _viking_ ," Hiccup said, crossing his arms. "I'm used to cold, it's an occupational hazard."

With a sudden, determined movement, Elsa lunged for the portal and threw it at him.

"No, Elsa!" he cried, trying to dodge it.

But it was too late. He was thrown to the palace floor in Arendelle. Night had fallen, and Valerie was asleep on the couch. Jack and Rapunzel were surprised to see him.

"Where's Elsa?" Jack asked.

"In Antarctica, being as stubborn as a viking," Hiccup said, gritting his teeth in annoyance. He tried to throw the portal to get back, but it wouldn't open.

"Sometimes it won't open if it's in a dangerous place," Rapunzel offered.

"Like a storm?" Hiccup asked.

"Yes…oh."

"Yeah. Come on, Toothless. We'll have to take the long way."

They flew out the window before Jack and Rapunzel could say a word.

"Stubborn as a viking?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I think he meant it as a compliment?" Rapunzel said, unsure. "Do you think…? Surely not."

"What?"

"Probably nothing. Nevermind. Have you heard from North yet?"

"He'll be here tomorrow."

* * *

The sun rose in Antarctica breathtakingly splendid, but Elsa didn't notice. She was laying on a snowbank, utterly exhausted. Hiccup landed next to her, looking relieved to have found her.

"I told you to go home," she said hoarsely, turning over to avoid him.

"Yeah, I didn't listen." Hiccup said shortly.

"Why did you come back?"

"Well, nobody should be alone in a time like this. People do crazy things when they're hurting. Now, come on. Let's get you home. Valerie wants to see you."

Elsa sat up abruptly. "Valerie. How could I forget Valerie? She just lost her mother…"

"Don't feel that bad," Hiccup said. "I forgot my children when Astrid died."

"I'm the only one she has left," Elsa realized.

"Well, she does have the rest of her extended family. But she needs a mama. And Arendelle needs a queen."

Elsa sighed and rested her head on his back. "If you don't mind, I'd like to take the long way back home."

"Of course."

Toothless took to the sky and immediately began flying towards home. Elsa was quiet for a long time, so long that Hiccup thought she must have fallen asleep.

"I'm sorry," she said, abruptly breaking the silence.

"For what?"

"Merida. I never saw…"

"That's understandable though. When you're going through a loss like that you don't think about other people."

"You did."

Hiccup looked over his shoulder to look at her and suddenly became acutely aware of how close their faces were.

"Well…I've done this before. I know how to put it aside if there's a more pressing matter."

"And I was the more pressing matter?"

"Well…I know how painful it can be, especially for the first time you've ever experience the death of a loved one."

"Thank you," Elsa whispered.

"You're welcome, I guess."

He turned to face forward again quickly. Toothless flicked his ears at him and rolled his eyes, a deep rumbling in his chest.

 _Stop looking at me like that_ , Hiccup said.

 _Like what? I didn't say anything._

 _Well what are you implying?  
_

 _Nuthin',_ he said smugly. _Just remember, she can sense feelings._

 _Crap. I mean, why does that matter?_

 _I don't know, does it?_

 _No. So, do you think Merida could come back?_

 _You changed the subject,_ Toothless sang _._

 _I'm serious, though. Sandy died and came back, remember? It was before our first ever time travel incident._

 _Mmmhmm._

 _Toothless, you're not listening._

 _I am listening. I'm just thinking about something else._

 _Shut up, Toothless._


	4. Chapter 4: Hope in the Dark

When they returned home late that afternoon, Elsa went immediately to her own room with Valerie, exhausted from the previous days' events. Hiccup joined Jack, Rapunzel, Anna, and North in the library.

"How is Elsa?" Jack asked.

"As well as can be expected in this situation," Hiccup said, laying down on an empty couch.

"It took you a long time to get back," Rapunzel said. "We were worried."

"She didn't want to take the portal back. She just wanted to fly."

 _Fly with you_ , Toothless added from his place near the fire.

 _For the last time, shut up._

"And how are you doing?" North asked him.

"I'm glad someone finally asked," Hiccup sighed. _Toothless_ , he said pointedly.

 _Sorry. I forgot. I was distracted._

 _Yeah, right._ "I just don't understand. How could she have died? She was immortal."

"There are some instances where a spirit does indeed die," North said slowly. "A terrible, dark magic that cannot be overcome or healed. Rapunzel had some experience with this during her childhood."

Rapunzel subconsciously rubbed the old, nearly-faded scars on her arms. "That's what killed me before the Moon made me a Guardian."

"So why didn't he save Lilith and spare Elsa the same pain?" Hiccup asked brokenly.

"He doesn't save everyone," North said, looking out the window solemnly. "He didn't make your family immortal, Hiccup."

"Yeah, I noticed. Jack and Rapunzel are the exception."

Jack and Rapunzel looked slightly guilty, Anna looked terrified for her own impending future.

"Why doesn't he save everyone?" she asked. "He is good, isn't he?"

"We don't know why. Yes, of course he's good. But there are some things we don't understand about how he works. Some say he can see into the future."

"That seems likely," Rapunzel said. "He did call Hiccup and Merida into the future the first time."

"Why did Merida disappear?" Hiccup asked, sitting up suddenly. "I can understand if she died, but there wasn't even a body. North…answer me truthfully. Is she really dead?"

"This is where it gets interesting," North said. "There have been some known instances where spirits have "died," but there is never a body. Sometimes we don't even know that a spirit is dead, they just disappear. Yet most then mysteriously returned a short time later. They can never remember exactly what happened, however. And then there are some that never return. So…it is possible that Merida can also come back."

"How can we help her?" Rapunzel asked.

"Now that I cannot tell you. Long ago when I tried to rescue Sandy, I found some information in my own library, but Sandy made it back on his own before I could try my methods and see if the book was accurate. But if anyone can do it, I know it's you four."

He set a huge, ancient manuscript on the table before them, titled "Mysteries and Legends of the Underworld." Anna fingered the cover delicately.

"It seems unfair," she said quietly. "We can get Merida back, but not Lilith."

"Maybe we can Merida back," North clarified.

"And we're going to try as hard we can," Jack said, determinedly. "Because Elsa needs some Courage about now."

"Yeah," Hiccup said. "So we're going to go get her some. It's the best way we can help her right now."

 _Well_ … Toothless began dubiously. _It's not the only way._

 _Shut up._

* * *

Anna stretched her arms out and lay her head on the table wearily. She was exhausted but knew she had to keep going. Rapunzel and Jack had fallen asleep in each other's arms on the couch, but Hiccup was wide awake and earnestly searching the pages of the books. Jack had flown last night to find more resources from Tooth, Sandy, and other spirits, while Anna had flown to Corona's libraries to search.

"How ya doing?" Hiccup asked without looking up.

"I'm tired and my brain can't even remember what we learned," she yawned. "I haven't done this much reading since I found out about Elsa's existence."

"Ok, let's recap. That might be helpful to me too. So far, we've learned that there have been 27 incidents of supposedly dead spirits returning to life. Two have been seen to die and to return. None of the 27 spirits remember what happened, whether they really died, or how they were brought back. They either remember darkness or light. Or both."

Anna looked back down at North's book. "This is interesting. It says here that the definition of a spirit is 'an immortal being with magical powers who cannot die from either sickness, injury, or other natural causes. And yet, some people claim to have seen spirits die.'"

"We have seen one die, that's a fact," Hiccup said gloomily.

"So how do they come back?"

"There are three known theories. The first, and most widely accepted, is that they become fairies, ghosts, will o' the wisps, etc.. Basically, the do not die, but progress to another magical stage of life."

"Merida always loved will 'o the wisps," Anna said. "Sorry, I'm interrupting."

"She did, but I don't think that's the case. The second theory is that the moment before death, they are magically transported somewhere. Supposedly there is a top secret, hidden spa or palace where they can recover to fight their enemies later. Their memories are wiped so nobody can destroy the place. Bad spirits are stripped of their powers and imprisoned there so they can't get out. And then the third theory is that spirits cleverly devised and faked their own deaths for their own selfish purposes."

"Yeah, but all 27 spirits?" Anna asked. "Seems a little far fetched. Especially when you consider the circumstances around Sandy and Merida's deaths."

"Well," Hiccup said. "This book wasn't written by someone who knew that spirits existed. These are just myths, legends, and dreams. I don't know how accurate it really is."

"But why would it be in North's office?" Anna asked pointedly.

"When Sandy died, he was desperate. Pitch was wreaking havoc on everyone. I remember, Merida and I helped round up the other spirits to safety while our past selves were busy fighting him."

Hiccup drummed his fingers on the table thoughtfully.

"What are you thinking?" Anna asked.

"I don't like the third theory, and the first one seems fishy. The people who created that myth didn't know about spirits returning from the "dead." But the second idea could actually be right. Merida was still breathing when she disappeared. She was badly injured, but still alive. It sounds like the kind of magic the Man in the Moon would do. The real question is how we find that place to get her out."

"If it's in this world, I'm sure there would be some kind of trace around the entrance," she mused. "But if it's in another realm entirely…"

"Do you have any ideas?"

Anna bit her lip and nodded. "Some places have so much magic surrounding them that they scare me."

"Good or bad?"

"Both sometimes. I'm not sure. I'll check them out to see if I find anything."

"Toothless and I can come with you."

"No, you need your rest. Stay here in case Elsa needs you."

"I'm not sure how much I help."

Anna put her hands on her hips crossly. "Do you not remember helping me all those years ago in the caves? When we were pulled back in time together and met Eep?"

"That was a long time ago for me."

"I couldn't control my powers. I was afraid of hurting everyone I loved and wanted to stay in the desert forever. I thought my parents were ashamed of me for not being able to control it. But you convinced me that they weren't. You convinced me to go back to them, even before you got captured by the cavemen and nearly sacrificed to the volcano. Sure, that pushed me over the edge, but I had already calmed down and decided I wanted to go back."

"Really? You were the one who told them where I was?"

"Well, yeah. I saw you get taken, so I wasn't about to leave you there when you had already done so much for me."

"I really didn't do that much…"

"Hiccup, you came to me at a time when everyone else was terrified for their lives. You trusted me. You know how to comfort people in their lowest moment. You put others before yourself, regardless of what you're going through yourself. Elsa doesn't just need Merida. She needs you."

 _Told ya_ , Toothless said as Anna quietly left the room.

Hiccup ignored him and went out onto the balcony to think. He leaned heavily on the railing as a chilly breeze blew across the palace. The sun was just peeking above the horizon, illuminating the peaceful city. Hiccup realized that the breeze kept blowing steadily, and that it was not affecting the rest of the city. Looking up, he saw Elsa at her own balcony a few floors above. She was wrapped in a blanket and sitting in a chair staring blankly out at the sea, perfectly emotionless. Somehow she sensed his presence, and without looking, created an ice staircase connecting the two balconies. Hiccup slowly went up to join her and pulled up another chair. They sat in silence for a long time.

"North was here last night," she said after awhile. "What was he here for?"

Hiccup couldn't bring himself to look at her. "We were discussing Merida," he said quietly. "Some spirits…have been known to return from the dead." Elsa closed her eyes. "Merida never even had a body. I'm sorry, there is nothing we can do for Lilith."

"I know." She took a shaky breath, holding in the tears.

"How's Valerie?"

Elsa pointed back at the bedroom, where Valerie was nestled in a huge pile of blankets. "She cried through half the night. I don't think she really understands what's happening yet." She paused, looking back at her granddaughter. "When you first became a Guardian, did you ever feel old?"

"Not until Zephyr died," Hiccup sighed. "She was my oldest, but Cecilia had died first from an accident. Zephyr had lived a good long life. She had grandchildren. All of my friends had died, and suddenly my family was leaving me. Then I felt old."

"What about when you first saw me as a baby?"

"I didn't feel old then."

"Do you view me as a child now?" she asked plainly, turning to face him.

Hiccup was slightly taken aback. "I never viewed you as a child. That was always the problem. When I first met you, you were under Mavis' control. You were already grown when we became friends. I waited centuries to see you again, but then it wasn't you. Do you know how weird it is to see your best friend as a baby?"

Elsa smiled a little. "I suppose it would be weird if the situation would be reversed."

"Just be thankful you missed seeing most of my awkward teenage years," Hiccup said with a cringe.

"Do you miss home?" Elsa asked after a moment. "Do you ever think about your life there and wish you could go back?"

"Sometimes. Not every day. Sometimes, I'll get a random memory of flying over the island, or eating in the great hall, or one of the twins' pranks. We had a lot of adventures together. Sometimes I wish I could go back and see them again. But Berk hasn't been home for a long time. I do miss it, but it's not home."

"Then what is?"

"Arendelle," he replied without hesitation.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Once we caught up to Jack and Rapunzel's timelines, we just joined them here. It was the one place from our past that actually still existed in the same way. Merida still has her camp in DunBroch, and I stayed with her for a long time, but this was always home for me."

Again, Elsa was quiet for a few minutes, watching the sunrise. Tears welled in her eyes again, though she tried to stop them. "Will it ever stop hurting?" she whispered, unable to look at him.

Hiccup was silent for a long time. "No," he finally answered. "You won't stop missing her, either. But the pain does become easier to bear after awhile. You can continue through every day life. And there are bad days—like today, for me—where you remember it all over again and it hurts badly. But you can keep living life."

"It feels almost disloyal."

"No, it's not." He leaned over and took her hand. "It's not dishonoring her memory at all. That's the thing about love, isn't it? There are all kinds of love, and you can love others at the same time. You can keep loving someone after they're gone."

"Is that what they told you after Astrid died?"

Once again, Hiccup felt like the breath was knocked out of him at the question. He opened and closed his mouth, trying to find the words, and looked away.

"That's a different situation than this…"

"You still love her though," Elsa said, withdrawing her hand.

"I'll always love her. Just like you'll always love Lilith. Nothing can replace them. Not entirely. But you can love again. It's just…different." He hoped Toothless wasn't eavesdropping. _This probably sounds really bad out of context._

"I don't think I can feel anything at the moment," she said, staring out to sea. "I don't think I want to keep living."

"You have to. For Valerie. Trust me, it's the only thing that kept me going when Astrid died."

"What about when the rest of your family was gone? When all of your great-grandchildren had forgotten you?"

"I still had Merida, and Jack and the Guardians had turned up by that point. And I knew that, way down the line, Rapunzel, you, and Anna were waiting. That was worth the wait."

"Worth the pain?"

"Most days it is. Some days, I would give anything to go back. But that's how it is with any adventure, like parenthood ironically. It always comes with pain and risk. Do you regret adopting Lilith?"

"No," she replied instantly. "But maybe I regret becoming a Guardian. Or at least immortal."

"You could have gone through this whether or not you were immortal. And so would I. Cecilia got hurt around the same age as Lilith. She already had a weak immune system, so it only took one infection…"

He stopped, unable to continue. He was having a harder time blocking out the memories now. Elsa reached out her hand without looking, a silent cry for help. Hiccup took it. They sat there for a long time, hands clasped, looking out over the city.

Elsa was just calming down when Anna came flying in at the speed of light, crashing into the library. Hiccup and Elsa leapt to their feet in alarm as Rapunzel and Jack woke up with a scream. Elsa quickly changed her stairs into a slide and leaped onto it, pulling Hiccup behind her. Anna stood in the middle of the room, shaking.

"I found it," she gasped. "I know where Merida is."

"Really?" Jack asked, excited.

"Anna, what happened?" Hiccup asked seriously, sensing something was wrong. "What did you find?"

Anna gulped nervously. "Nightmare sand."

Everyone froze, dead silent.

"Where?" Rapunzel asked darkly.

"Rainbow Valley. That lake is swirling with magic, it always has, but now it's completely black. There's a boulder behind the center waterfall, I could hardly see it physically because there was so much magic."

"Rainbow Valley," Hiccup said. "Why does that sound familiar?"

"I guess it's been awhile since you were there," Rapunzel said. "Our first adventure, remember? We stopped there for a rest before we entered Corona that evening."

"Girls, stay here," Jack said firmly. "I don't think it would be wise if you came."

"Agreed," Anna said. "Not for me, anyway."

Gothel had managed to place one of Pitch's fearling mares inside Anna's mind, even after Pitch was long dead. The fearling had given Anna a severe depression, and caused her powers to become uncontrollable. While it had been years since she had been able to beat the magic inside her, she still struggled with the side effects often, so her fear came as no surprise to the others. Without Merida or Elsa to help, Anna could have suffered another panic attack, which usually did not end well.

Elsa shook her head forlornly. "I'm not in the best condition to fight..." she began.

"Don't worry," Hiccup said, laying a hand on her shoulder. "We can manage between the three of us and Toothless. Stay here and take care of yourself. And Valerie," he added.

Elsa nodded. Hiccup realized he still had his hand on her shoulder, and quickly removed it, going to mount Toothless. Rapunzel climbed on behind him, grasping the silver bow Merida had left behind.

"Hey," Elsa said softly. Hiccup looked back with no hesitation. "Take care of yourselves, too."

"Don't worry about us," he said. "We've been doing this for years."

"Race you to the falls, old man!" Jack yelled as he catapulted out of the window.

"Hey, you're the one with white hair!" Hiccup called, urging Toothless to follow.

Rapunzel let out the Scottish war cry. "We're coming for you, Mer!"


	5. Chapter 5: Old Enemy

As soon as he saw Rainbow Valley, Hiccup remembered it. Seven different waterfalls, some cascading gently over rocks, some bouncing and jumping energetically, some dropped straight down in a narrow stream, and others spread ten feet or more, dripping almost lazily off the overhang. A turquoise, clear lake with colorful coral and fish dancing in the light, which, when it hit the waterfalls just right, created a surplus of rainbows.

"You know, this is where Merida and I first connected," Rapunzel said wistfully. "This is where our friendship _really_ began."

"In all these years, we've never returned," Hiccup said mused.

"Remember what Anna said," Jack warned. "It looks nice on the outside, but there's a dark Magic here. Even I can feel it."

The others immediately went into high alert. Carefully, they walked along the path; they no longer noticed the beauty of their serene surroundings. Rapunzel led the way underneath the waterfalls until they reached a large boulder near the middle. Toothless tensed and growled menacingly.

"There," she said. "That has to be it."

 _Toothless, can you move this stone?_ Hiccup asked.

 _Bad, bad place. Not good. Don't go in there!_

 _Is Merida down there?_

 _I don't know._

 _Then open it._

With a mighty push, Toothless rolled the stone all the way from the opening. Immediately, he roared at the dark passageway. The Companions shivered as a dank breeze and foul smell blasted them.

 _I really don't like this_ , the dragon said.

 _Is Merida down there?_ Hiccup repeated.

Toothless sniffed and sneezed multiple times. He shook his head violently.

 _Bad, bad, bad, BAD!_

 _Toothless! What about MERIDA?_

 _…yes,_ Toothless said after a long pause.

"She's down there," Hiccup said, drawing his sword. "He can smell her."

Jack held his staff defensively, and Rapunzel, who had been taking archery lessons from Merida, held the silver bow and arrow at the ready. Hiccup mounted Toothless, lit his sword in flames, and lead the others into the tunnel. It led them almost straight down into the depths, and Rapunzel nearly lost her footing several times.

After nearly an hour walking in the darkness, they saw light ahead. Not a cheery, comforting glow of a house fire, but a sour, old light that made one feel sick. Toothless tried to turn around.

 _No, Toothless! We have to move on._

 _Something bad is there, something we know but haven't seen in a long time. It's not safe!_

 _Then neither is Merida. We have to rescue her. What is down there?_

 _I don't remember. I know it, but I don't know it. I forgot._

Hiccup began to feel very nervous. Valerie had died in a similar manner to Elsa's kidnapping. One of the Companions had died, they had visited the same spot they had first visited as a group, and now were about to combat a dark magic. It was all very familiar, and not in a good way.

"Keep moving," Jack whispered hoarsely.

Hiccup turned and whispered what Toothless had told him. Jack and Rapunzel looked grim.

"If we beat whoever it was once, then we can do it again," Rapunzel said.

Hiccup nodded, and they slowly slipped around the corner.

The tunnel opened up into a large cavern filled with a black, slimy lake, the complete opposite of the one above ground. The lake was dotted with tiny islands, only big enough for two people to stand on, and far enough apart that you couldn't jump from one to the other. Spanning the lake was a crumbling dirt bridge that lead to an abandoned, blackened fortress, which looked like it had been burned. Smoke still rose from some of the towers. The whole place reeked of rot and decay, and at first, they didn't see anyone. Then Rapunzel looked up, and suddenly understood why Anna had been so afraid.

"Hello again," she said darkly.

The others looked up and gasped. The ceiling of the high cavern resembled a spider's web. Black nets made with thick rope hung over the lake, each one corresponding to an island, with an unconscious spirit inside of them. Merida was in the one nearest to them; her body seemed to lie lifeless, one arm dangled through one of the holes of her net. The nets were connected in a web of black ropes, and in the center was the biggest net of them all; more like a sturdy cage, actually. When they saw this cage, they understood that the nets were not made of black ropes, nor was the cage.

They were made from Nightmare sand, and in the middle cage, looking triumphant and evil, was Pitch Black. And unlike the other prisoners, he was awake.

"Hello, daughter," Pitch said.

"I am not your daughter."

"Oh, I've waited nearly forty years for this moment," Pitch said gleefully, rubbing his hands. "Forty years for my happily ever after."

"Your happily ever after comes at the price of our happily after ever, and those of all the other people in this world," Jack said. "So you can't have it."

"What have you done with Merida?" Hiccup shouted.

"Oh, Hiccup. How you and Merida have grown!" Pitch crooned. "Guardians now I see. Not to worry. She's not dead, only dreaming. Everyone here is dreaming. Well, actually they're having the most awful nightmares." He inhaled deeply and shivered in delight. "Can't you just smell the fear? It's giving me a wonderful burst of energy. It's giving me my life back."

"What do you mean?" Jack asked, stalling for time. "How did you do all this?"

"Well, I might as well tell you the whole story," Pitch said almost eagerly.

Rapunzel had to wonder how long it had been since he had talked to anyone. Even though it had been years since she had lived with him, she could still remember how much he loved to boast and brag about his cunning plans. He loved attention.

"This was once the fabled city of Atlantis."

"No way," Jack said, laughing.

"LISTEN TO ME!" Pitch roared, snapping suddenly. "It was the city of Atlantis, a magical city full of fairies, and mermaids and other "good" magical creatures. It was not drowned under water as everyone believes. It was always underground, set here by Mother Nature as a resting place for weary, tired spirits. The Man in the Moon would take any spirits supposedly about to "die" and bring them here, where they could recover in peace. Nobody remembered it, because their memory was always wiped once they entered the tunnel."

"What happened to it?" Hiccup asked.

"Me," Pitch said, grinning. "When you four "killed" me, I was taken here, and restored by magic. But because I was an "evil spirit," my magic was taken from me, and I was locked away in Atlantis' dungeon. Fortunately, that was no match for me, and I broke out. I had almost made my escape when Mother Nature captured me and my current prison. Nightmare sand is the only magic strong enough to hold me. Unfortunately for them, it also gives me my magic back."

"At the cost of theirs," Rapunzel said dryly.

"Not the sand on it's own," Pitch corrected. "But it gave me enough power to attack anyone who came near, and I was able to entrap them in their nets. Once I had my first spirit, that gave me real power. I lay siege to the same city that held me prisoner, captured everyone inside, lay waste to Atlantis, and hid everything from the Man in the Moon."

"So…why haven't you left?" Jack said.

"I have the magic, yes," Pitch said. "I could have left ages ago. But then I discovered that my fellow spirits weren't just giving me _my_ magic back, they were giving me _their_ magic. So I decided to stay until I possessed all they had to give me. Until I make them into what they made me."

"What did they make you?" Rapunzel asked.

"Mortal," Pitch said coldly. "They reversed me back into my non-spirit form and age. I would have died within hours, so I acted quickly. I was extremely fortunate, I thought. I just didn't realize how fortunate I was until Merida came here. Not just a spirit, or a Guardian, but a _Companion_. It seemed too good to be true!"

"It is," Hiccup said grimly.

"What happens if I decide to shoot her cage down?" Rapunzel said.

Pitch laughed. "She'll wake up of course, and no worse for wear, except for her magic which I have stolen. But she can survive and you can go on living your happy ever after lives. Go on. I don't care."

"No, wait!" Hiccup said, forcing Rapunzel's arm down. "He does care. He's lying…Why would he let Merida go if he can get her magic from her? And why wait forty years? Forty years of just waiting and stealing strength…doesn't that seem odd?"

"Not odd, he's mad!" Jack said.

"He can't break out of that cage," Hiccup said confidently. "You're bluffing!" Pitch growled in anger. "You need it to break from the outside, something which you can't do. Look, Rapunzel, the nets are all connected. It we break one, then I bet we'll break the others."

"But he'll be outnumbered," Jack said. "All of those spirits will also be free."

"No," Rapunzel said. "But he's been draining of them of power and killing them. Some of them don't have any magic left!"

"He can't do that," Jack said. "That's another clever lie. The sand keeps you from doing any big, dark magic. He's not as strong as he says, look at him!"

Pitch was growing angrier by the minute. "You don't know the half of what my magic can do, boy!"

Rapunzel was still reluctant. There was something missing to this puzzle, but she couldn't figure out what it was. She needed time to think; time she was afraid she didn't have.

"Are you going to sit around all day and do nothing!" Pitch taunted crossly.

Rapunzel aimed the bow at Merida's cage. Hiccup looked like he was about to intervene. "What choice do we have?" she asked quietly.

Taking a deep breath, she released the arrow. While she wasn't as good of an archer as Merida, the arrow was magic, and it hit exactly where she wanted it to. Toothless jumped into the air and flew forward to catch her as she fell. Around her, all the spirits fell silently, seemingly in slow motion and still unconscious, towards their islands below. Before they had a chance to do anything, Pitch landed. The second his feet touched the ground, the entire cavern went pitch black.


	6. Chapter 6: Worst Nightmares

Rapunzel found herself alone in the dark. She tried to cry out for Jack and Hiccup, but her voice would not work. It was almost as if she were underwater, drowning in fear. She realized a tendril of Nightmare sand had pulled her to an island of her own.

 _What is Pitch doing? What is his game?_

Suddenly there was a harsh whinny of a Nightmare, and black sand swirled in her vision. The scene around her shifted. Rapunzel was back in her tower as a young girl, Gothel standing over her cruelly.

"Mother, please!" she pleaded. "Don't leave me!"

Gothel spun around and left the room, locking the door behind her with a fatal click. Rapunzel ran up to the door and beat on it with her fists, panic rising when the door disappeared.

"No, no!"

She ran to the window and looked out. The sky was covered with thick, sickly green clouds that rumbled with ominous thunder. There was no sun. Instead of a pretty meadow at the base of the tower, there were sharp, jagged rocks, and wild animals prowled around, looking up at her hungrily.

"The world is a dangerous place, Rapunzel," came Gothel's sinister voice.

It seemed to come from the very air, booming as loud as the thunder. There was a flash of lightening very near to the window, and Rapunzel fell back in terror. Rain began to pour from the sky in torrents; a stinging wind pushed it through the window. It hurt.

Crying, she stood and tried to push the shutters closed. They would not move. In desperation, she turned and ran up the stairs to her bedroom. This time, there were no paints, or books, or a small green chameleon to keep her company. It was a dull, grey room with nothing but a hard bed with some dusty blankets.

Rapunzel forgot that this was not real. She didn't realize that it was only a Nightmare. The fear was so great, that it had quickly become a new reality.

She crawled under the covers as she had done when she was a little girl, covering her ears and crying.

"Jack…I'm scared!" she whimpered.

* * *

Merida wasn't sure what was going on. One moment, she had been cradled in Hiccup's arms, having just witnessed Valerie's murder and hearing Elsa's screams of grief. Now she was back in DunBroch in the field with her mother standing over her.

"Mum!" she cried happily.

It had been centuries since she'd seen her last, and she didn't care if it made no sense. Maybe she had died and gone to Valhallah.

"You're hair is a mess!" Elinor screeched, grabbing Merida's hair roughly and tugging it with her fingers. "I told you to brush it and get rid of those dreadful curls."

"What?"

"You were out riding again, weren't you? When will you learn to be a respectable princess and not go galavanting off into the woods on adventures? That's for knights to do, like your brothers. Och! Stop gaping! Close your mouth." She rapped Merida sharply on the chin. "And stand up straight for once! Can't you do anything right?"

"But…Where's dad?"

"Where do you think the stupid oaf is? He's off on another dreadful war with the clans, that's where!"

"Where? I'm going to help!"

"Did you hit your head _again_?" she asked, again pulling at the hair trying to look at her head. "No, I told you you can't! Fighting is not a duty fit for a princess. A princess stays at home and gives her people hope while being the epitome of grace and charm. Which you are hopeless at! Now, get back inside!"

This was _not_ Valhallah.

Glumly, Merida slouched and obeyed. What else could she do? Had some other horrible spell happened to her mother? Then a loud roar behind her confirmed her fears.

"Mum?" she asked, nervously turning around.

Instead of Elinor stood a huge black bear, taller than Mor'du, but it still looked like Elinor the bear. She roared at Merida.

"YOU DISOBEDIENT, DISGRACE OF A CHILD!" the bear screamed. The voice was deep and frightening, it resonated through the air and shook the trees. "DO AS YOU ARE TOLD AND GET BACK TO YOUR ROOM!"Merida turned and fled towards the castle. "YOU'RE GOOD FOR NOTHING BUT A MEAL!"

Merida ran faster, trying to feel for her bow or her sword. She had neither.

There were no doors into the castle, just a massive stone wall. Jumping, Merida caught hold of a vine of ivy growing on the side and began to climb. When she was about halfway up, Elinor slammed against the wall and shook the foundations. In terror, Merida looked up to the ramparts, hoping against hope someone would be there.

Then she screamed. Someone was there, but it wasn't anyone who would help her. It was the witch who had helped turn her mother into a bear in the first place. Maggie, Gothel's mother. She cackled and watched with delight as Merida struggled to climb.

"Useless, useless," she crooned.

She leaned over the wall and held out a hand. But Merida knew the hand was meant to harm, not to help. She stopped climbing and looked at it. She was only a dozen feet from the top now; she could make it on her own. But then Elinor hit the wall again, and Merida very nearly lost her footing.

She couldn't go up, and she couldn't go down. Merida was stuck.

"You have to be courageous," she told herself firmly. "You have to be strong." Her right hand felt a chill, and a touch of frost appeared on the wall beside her. "Jack!"

There was no answer, but she didn't need one. It gave her a surge of hope, and she kept climbing.

* * *

Jack was on high alert. He knew something bad was going to happen, he just didn't know what. But he was not prepared when he landed at his old lake in Burgess with Jill. The ice crackled under their feet, and he knew there wasn't much time.

"Hold on, I got you," he said, reaching out with his staff to rescue her.

It was too late. The ice broke, and Jill, not Jack, fell into the ice. He ran to the hole to see if he could pull her up, but suddenly he was farther away then he thought. By the time he reached the spot where he had last seen her, the ice had frozen back over. He could still see her through the surprisingly clear ice, banging on it in desperation. Jill placed her hands on the other side of the ice and screamed. Jack tried to use his powers to get her out, but they didn't work. He took his staff and hit the ice so hard the staff broke. Jill looked at him with disappointment and anger in her eyes as she sank into the black water.

"No…no! I have to save her!" he yelled, looking up for the Moon.

There was no moon. Numbly, he looked back at the ice, and screamed.

"Anna! Get out of there!"

Anna floated beneath the ice now, and she was panicking.

"No, don't panic! Don't panic!" he yelled, panicked.

Her hands were glowing with fire, but it was being extinguished the moment it left her hands. She was screaming, bubbles leaving her mouth at an astonishing rate.. Jack watched in horror as her skin slowly turned blue.

"Anna, no! Not again! I can't lose you again! Somebody help!" he screamed, jumping to his feet and looking around the park.

His mother came running out of the house. He knew it was his mother, though he couldn't see her face.

"Jack? What happened? Where's your sister?"

"It's not Jill, it's my daughter," Jack explained, turning back to the ice.

Anna's light had extinguished completely, and she was claimed by the dark water.

"You have to be courageous," Jack's mother said in a Scottish accent.

"What?" Jack turned.

It was no longer his mother, but Merida. Her face was blank, emotionless, but the voice was full of strength.

"You have to be strong."

Then the ice cracked under her and she sank. Jack reached out a hand to catch her. Their hands touched for a single instant, then the ice froze over and his hand was lying on top the ice. Then Merida changed into Hiccup, his old metal leg dragging him down quickly.

"This can't be happening," Jack said in disbelief. "No, it's impossible. This CAN'T HAPPEN!" He stood and looked around. "This is a Nightmare," he declared. "We were battling Pitch, and he attacked us. You hear that Pitch? I see through your schemes! This is a Nightmare and I'm going to beat it!"

"Jack…I'm scared!" Rapunzel whimpered.

Turning, he saw her sitting on the ice at his feet, eyes staring into nothing. Her hands moved along something invisible next to her head. He knelt beside her but somehow could not look into her eyes. Some force was keeping them apart.

"Rapunzel!" he yelled.

"Jack!" she sat up straight. "Where are you?"

"I'm here, can you see me?"

"No, it's just my room, it's raining…help me!"

Just then, the ice beneath her cracked, and she slipped into the water.

"It's going to be alright!" Jack called as he tried in vain to catch her. His hands went through nothing, as if he did not exist.

"You're fading!" she screamed, panicking again.

"No!" he yelled as the ice began to freeze. "It's a Nightmare!" He began to claw at the ice in desperation. "It's a Nightmare, it's only a Nightmare, it's a Nightmare, please tell me it's a nightmare!"

* * *

In her own alternate world, Rapunzel tried to grasp the last words she heard, but she couldn't hear them. Suddenly, she shivered and her arms felt cold.

"Jack! Don't go!"

She started to wonder if she had imagined it, or been dreaming. Her brain felt foggy, and she couldn't think straight.

"I need you, Jack," she whispered.

* * *

Merida and Rapunzel heard the same thing at the same time.

"It's a Nightmare, it's only a Nightmare," Jack screamed to the others.

Merida looked down at Elinor, fuming at the base of the castle, and understood.

"Yew are a Nightmare!" she yelled. "My mum did love me, and Ah love her!"

Determinedly, she placed her feet on the wall and jumped down towards the bear.

Rapunzel leapt out of bed. "It's not true, it's a Nightmare! Gothel is dead, the tower is destroyed. The world is dangerous, but it is also good and beautiful. There _is_ a sun and my Anna can control it. I am not trapped in this tower, I have a life, and a family, and they love me!"

Jack felt the Nightmare bonds of the dream world loosen when he heard Hiccup's scream.

"He's alive," he breathed. "Hiccup is alive, Merida is alive, Rapunzel is alive, and Elsa and Anna are safe! My sister became a spirit and the Guardian of Love. I am Jack Frost, Guardian of Fun, and you are a Nightmare."

All of the alternate worlds crashed with a sound like breaking glass.


	7. Chapter 7: Face Your Demon

Hiccup felt as though he were fourteen again, with his father glaring down at him angrily as the fire from their hut cast huge shadows on the wall.

"Where's the barmaid?" he bellowed.

Valka walked in the door and looked at him, annoyed. "You know I don't like that nickname."

"Excuse me, barmaid! I call you whatever I want when you bring me the wrong order!"

"What's wrong?"

"I ordered an extra-large boy with beefy arms, extra guts and glory on the side! This here, this is a talking fish-bone! He's not just any hiccup, he's Hiccup the Useless!"

"Dad…"

"Oh no, don't talk to me, you dragon lover! You are a disgrace to the Hooligan Tribe. I would have had you banished long ago if you weren't my only heir. But now, I've changed my mind. Get off this island, right now! You are an Outcast from here on, if they will take your worthless body."

"Who will be the next chief?" Valka asked scornfully.

"Snotlout, obviously. He's much better at everything than Hiccup is."

"Except training dragons," Hiccup yelled.

"You useless boy! We kill dragons, we do not train them as pets! You're not a Viking. You're not my son."

Hiccup screamed and collapsed to the ground. "That's not true! You don't believe that!"

"You have to be courageous, you have to be strong," came Merida's voice from nearby.

"It's a Nightmare, it's only a Nightmare," Jack muttered.

Reality clicked back in as Hiccup realized what was going on. Nightmares, Pitch Black. He took a deep breath.

"You can't defeat me with that!" he yelled into the darkness at Pitch. "Not anymore." _Toothless!_ he called desperately.

 _Hiccup?_ Toothless asked faintly. _Where are you? What's going on? I can't find anyone._

 _Hang on, Bud. I'm trying to break out of here._

He concentrated on bringing back good memories. How Stoick had greeted him when he woke up from the Red Death's attack. How together they had flown through the skies after they had trained Thornado, Stoick's first dragon, together. How proud Stoick had been when he, Astrid, and Fishlegs had stopped the Flightmare from coming into Berk. How even though it was dangerous, Stoick had allowed the Dragon Flight Club to continue.

Hiccup felt his chest tighten and the fear rising. "My father loved me," he spoke aloud. "He sacrificed himself for me…"

Suddenly the scene changed. Elsa stood in front of him in her ice palace, looking at him sorrowfully. Hiccup stopped talking, confused.

"What are you doing here? Did I get sent back?"

"You let me down," she said mournfully.

"What? What do you mean? How?"

Elsa's hands were shaking, and the ice shifted with a resounding, echoing crack. Hiccup threw out his arms to steady himself and looked up at her in alarm.

"You lied. How could you have said all those things to me when you never even trusted me?"

"What's gotten into you? Why are you saying these things?"

"You could have saved Lilith!" she yelled.

"I was in the library, I was nowhere near the nursery! How could I have seen that coming?"

"You just wanted me to suffer like you did!"

"I would never wish that suffering on anyone," he promised.

"You don't even care."

"Of course I care, you're my friend."

Elsa shook her head. "No," she said simply. She raised her hands towards the ceiling and took a deep breath.

"Elsa, what are you doing?" he asked in a panic. "Don't do this, life is still worth living, I promise."

"I will not spend my life buried in the past like you. I would rather die."

"No!" Hiccup yelled, lunging towards her.

The ice palace shook and icicles fell from the ceiling as the palace collapsed around them. Hiccup fell and suddenly found himself kneeling in the grass outside the chief's hut. He could smell the salty sea so strongly that he wondered if he'd been transported back in time. He was older now, and Astrid stood in front of him, arms crossed and baby Cecilia strapped on her back. She did not look happy.

"Where were you?" she exploded.

"Not this…" Hiccup whispered desperately.

"You're never home anymore, you're always off on your grand Guardian adventures. Do you even care about us?"

"Of course, I love you!" Hiccup yelled, tears streaming down his face.

He got to his feet and reached out to her. She was so real, but she jerked away from his touch.

"I have to do everything by myself, I'm all alone!" Astrid cried. "The children stopped asking when you're coming home. They don't even remember what you look like anymore!"

"I did come home. I was home, I promise! You just don't remember!"

"You weren't a father, Hiccup," she said, her electric blue eyes glaring daggers. Out of the corner of his eye, Hiccup saw Zephyr and Nuffink peering out of the house. Astrid jabbed a finger at them. "You ignored them as much as your own father ignored you. You left me behind."

"No, that's not true. You're twisting the facts!" He knelt down and held his arms out to his two eldest. "Come here, please! I miss you so much!"

"I…died…alone," Astrid accused.

"No…No, you didn't," Hiccup said. He felt like he was drowning, gasping for a breath of fresh air. "I came back. I was there for you when it almost killed me."

"And now you've already forgotten about me," she scoffed disbelievingly.

"Don't say that," he pleaded.

"You don't think I know?" Her voice turned dark and deep. It became Pitch talking, not Astrid. "I know all your secrets."

"No," he begged. "Don't do this to me."

"I can't believe you," Astrid said in her own voice again. "You would really leave us…for her?"

The ground swayed beneath his feet and he collapsed in on himself. He pulled on his hair in desperation as the world spun around him. The scene grew dark but he could still hear her words echoing in his ears. Her face swirled around him in the storm of black sand, yelling and crying. Then her face mixed with Elsa, and Hiccup could no longer take it. He screamed in agony.

* * *

Toothless had been left alone in the dark, barely able to sense anyone. He had caught Merida, but then lost her as she had been pulled away from him by a dark Nightmare. His ears swiveled around as he heard the faint sounds of everyone struggling, until he found Pitch's maniacal laugh. He turned and shot a plasma blast in that direction, knocking Pitch over just long enough for the others to break out of their Nightmares. Then a roaring fire flared over the top of the cavern, spooking the Nightmares to flock back to Pitch. He was standing on the main island in the lake, much bigger than all the rest.

"Take that!" Anna yelled triumphantly from the cave entrance. She, Sandy, and Elsa stood ready to join the battle.

"That's my girls!" Jack cheered, relieved the dream had ended. "It's over now, Pitch!"

Pitch regained his balance and sneered. Hiccup was floating over a small island, still caught in the swirling dream sand. Before the others realized he was still trapped, Pitch pulled Hiccup right in front of him, using him as a shield.

"Don't fire!" Elsa yelled frantically.

Everyone froze, poised to strike but unwilling to risk Hiccup's safety. Toothless roared anxiously, but Pitch never flinched. Instead, he laughed, delicately tracing Hiccup's jawline with one crooked black finger. Convulsing, Hiccup's back arched and he screamed in agony.

"Oh, this is fun," he sneered, breathing deeply. "I'm getting stronger every second! Oh, Hiccup, Hiccup, Hiccup! What a wealth of fears to prey upon. So many years of being the youngest, of being the weakest, of not being wanted, of losing everyone you loved…"

"Stop," Elsa commanded, raising her arms.

"Don't, you'll hurt Hiccup!" Anna whispered.

"No, I won't."

She squeezed her eyes shut and focused all of her energy onto Pitch. Without knowing how she did it, she poured all of her memories and love and grief over Lilith into him. She wasn't sure what Hiccup was seeing, but she could feel his heart being torn in two. As much as it hurt, she absorbed that and threw it right back onto Pitch. Hiccup continued to scream as his memories grew more intense.

Merida watched in amazement as Pitch seemed to be knocked over by some invisible force. He clawed at his chest and gasped for air as if it were impossible to even breathe. Elsa screamed in anger, her voice blending with Hiccup's in a painful crescendo that shook entire cave. The other spirits covered the ears and watched, unsure what to do next.

"What's she doing?" Rapunzel yelled over the racket.

"She's making him feel their pain," Merida realized. "Everything that he's put them through, she's dragging that back up and making him feel it. She's making him feel lost love."

The sand around Hiccup scattered and he fell to the ground next to Pitch, eyes wide and drenched in sweat. Toothless flew over and covered him protectively. Immediately, Sandy flew over and bound him tightly in chains of his own dream sand. Elsa faltered and lowered her hands, leaning heavily on Anna.

"Nice one," Jack said, nodding at Elsa.

Hiccup slowly got to his feet, using Toothless as support. His chest was still heaving for air, but his voice was firm.

"You're wrong," he said, eyes blazing as he looked down at Pitch's shaking frame. "Maybe I was the weakest for awhile, but all that heartache and love that you call weak only made me stronger."

He pulled out his sword, set it on fire, and held it to Pitch's throat. The other spirits cheered triumphantly. Merida hopped across the islands and caught Hiccup as he started to fall again, exhausted from the fight. Jack made an ice bridge for the girls to come to the center island, then flew over and picked up Rapunzel. He hugged them all close.

"Well done!" a warm, silky voice said behind them.

Mother Nature glided up to them serenely, a tall woman seemingly made from grass and leaves. As she skimmed across the water, it turned from inky black to crystal blue, like the water in Rainbow Valley. She waved her hand, and the palace in the distance was restored to it's former glory.

"Good to see you again, Mother Nature," Jack said, winking as he jokingly bowed before her.

"After all these years, Jack? Call me Te Fiti, please."

"Is this really Atlantis?" Merida asked.

"Of course it is. All myths and legends have some truth to it. But sometimes, the truth is so diluted that we have difficulty distinguishing it when it arrives face to face." She stopped and gazed down at Pitch, who was fuming. "Thank you, Pitch Black, for teaching me a valuable lesson about Nightmare sand. That will not hold you forever. I won't make that mistake again."

"Is there anything that will keep him down here?" Rapunzel asked hopefully.

Sandy nodded eagerly and gave the chains a good yank, successfully knocking Pitch out.

Te Fiti smiled. "Put him back in his old cell block, number 23. Make him one of your strongest cages, please. I don't want him getting out again. As for you six, you are welcome to stay and rest as long as you like, as long as Jack doesn't freeze my city. Merida, you will find you are completely healed physically, although I suspect you are all emotionally exhausted."

Hiccup shuddered, letting go of Merida so he could sit on Toothless.

"I think we'll go back home to Arendelle, if it's all the same to you," Rapunzel said.

"I understand. But know that you are welcome any time."

"Did Pitch take any of Merida's magic?" Jack asked, concerned.

"She was not in captivity long enough for harm to be done. The rest of the spirits weren't so lucky. It will take time for them to fully recover their powers. But sit and rest a moment before you leave. "

The hill beneath their feet turned to a soft mossy grass, and they sat down gratefully.

"Will we have to lose our memories when we leave?" Anna asked.

"No," Te Fiti said. "Not you six. You are special, connected in a way that defies black magic. We need you to know about this in case we need you again. But you must never tell anyone else."

"I can deal with that," Jack said, wrapping one arm protectively around Rapunzel's shoulders.

Te Fiti smiled at them all. "Take your time in leaving. And thank you for your help."

She began to lead the weakened spirits back into the palace. Everyone leaned up against Toothless wearily. Jack turned to Anna.

"What made you decide to come?" he asked.

Anna looked over at Elsa worriedly. "Whatever Pitch was doing to you, Elsa could feel it. I mean, I guess because it had something to do with love." They all nodded grimly. "We realized we had to face our own demons. So we called Sandy for back up and came. Pitch was so distracted with you that he didn't even see us come in."

"Yew had very good timing," Merida said. "We probably could have broken out eventually, but we would have been in a much weakened state and couldn't have held Pitch for long."

"Hiccup, are you alright?" Rapunzel asked gently.

Hiccup was the only one not leaning against Toothless' side. He was stretched out on Toothless' back, staring straight up at the ceiling with empty eyes. He didn't answer the question.

"What did he do ta yew?" Merida asked fiercely, looking like she was about to charge into Atlantis for a second shot.

Hiccup just shook his head slightly. Toothless moaned.

"I think it's time we went home," Rapunzel said, getting to her feet.

The others followed her move, with Hiccup sitting up in the saddle. This time, Rapunzel led the way back up the tunnel, with Hiccup, Toothless, and Elsa following slowly at the back of the line.

"I know what you're doing," Elsa said quietly. "I feel it like a wall going up."

"What, blocking my emotions?" Hiccup countered. "I don't think I have any left."

"Just…please don't shut us out."

"There's nothing to say. He took my memories and my greatest fears and twisted them together to create a new reality in the Nightmare. Nothing that you don't already know. I re-lived _every_ death...every moment of my life where I felt small and useless...all of it came back. But with Pitch making it a thousand times worse."

"I made him feel it," Elsa blurted. "I don't know how, but I did. I made him hurt in a way that no one has ever made him hurt before. Your pain and mine combined."

"Good. He deserved it."

They were silent the rest of the way home.


	8. Chapter 8: Healing

Elsa was re-crowned queen two weeks later, after the established mourning period. Hiccup hated watching her shut down. She was all business. Not desperately, like he had been, just doing whatever was necessary without emotion. Any free time was spent drinking tea and staring out the window longingly.

"Was I like this?" Hiccup asked Jack about a month later.

"Oh, no," he said, patting him on the shoulder comfortingly. "You were much worse."

"Great. At least now I understand why you guys were constantly on my back. Any ideas on how to get her to enjoy life again?"

"Nope."

"You're the Guardian of Fun," Hiccup deadpanned. "Really?"

"I've got a date with Valerie," Jack shrugged. "She's been lonely. I thought maybe I'd take her for a flight..."

"No way! She is too hyperactive, you won't be able to hold her in the sky."

"You took your kids flying!" Jack protested.

"On a dragon, not a wooden stick."

"As if that's much better."

"Actually...maybe we could take both of them on a flight," Hiccup suggested.

"Perfect!" Jack said, levitating in his excitement. "You take Valerie and I'll take Elsa."

"I prefer Toothless, thank you very much," Elsa said, coming behind them.

"What, don't you trust me?"

"After all the times you nearly and actually did drop me?"

"Most people find that fun. And you can always build a snow mountain if I can't catch you."

"Not if there are people below me I can't," Elsa countered. "Besides, Toothless has a more stable flight than you do. Sometimes you make me seasick."

Jack was stunned. "Sorry, does everyone hate my flying?"

Hiccup laughed. "Can't say I've ever tried, and I'm not going to on this trip. I need to steer the dragon."

"Fine, I know where I'm not wanted," Jack huffed.

"Drama queen," Hiccup yelled after him.

"I heard that!"

"You're going to get Valerie ready, right?"

There was a pause. "Ok, fine! I'll get her. Valerie! Come here, we're going to have some fun!"

"Where are we going again?" Elsa asked. "I missed that bit."

"Just a flight anywhere. Around the mountains, the general surrounding areas."

Elsa but her lip. "Tonight?"

"Yeah, as soon as you and Valerie get ready."

"I can't, I've got a meeting."

"Cancel it."

"Hiccup, I couldn't."

"Is it really that important? Do it tomorrow morning. Valerie's lonely. Hey, maybe you could turn this into a teaching experience. We could fly over the Southern Isles and your other trade countries."

"Well..."

"Elsa, Elsa!" Valerie came bounding down the stairs, her coat half buttoned and crooked.

"We're going on a dragon ride! Are you coming, too?"

Elsa melted and smiled, fixing her granddaughter's coat. "Of course I am."

Toothless came bounding in, tripping on the tiny stairs.

 _Did I hear we're going flying?!_

Toothless dove under Hiccup, throwing him into the saddle.

"Slow down, bud," he laughed. "Other people are coming with us. Valerie, you sit in front so you can see. Elsa, sit behind me."

Somehow, Toothless managed to stay still long enough for the girls to get on before he bounded out the wide open windows. Jack followed, whooping with joy. They soared high over Arendelle, circling the shining fjord in all its autumn glory. Valerie screamed with delight.

"This is amazing!"

"Have you never flown with us before?" Hiccup yelled over the wind.

"No!"

"Well, you're in for the full treat today," Jack said. "Hey, Toothless, let's fly through the mountains."

 _Oh, yeeesss!_

Toothless banked and headed inland. The trees were practically glowed from this height, although the colors dimmed the closer they reached the snowy mountains. Along the way, Jack and Hiccup pointed out locations of various adventures, which Valerie loved.

"Wait," Elsa said. "Go right, down the valley to the North mountain."

"Are you sure?" Hiccup asked, turning a little to look at her.

"Yes. Val, have you ever seen my ice palace before?"

Val shook her head excitedly, so Hiccup steered Toothless in that direction. The castle was completely hidden from their angle, so as soon as they went around the north mountain they could see it all. Valerie gasped in awe and nearly fell off the dragon if Hiccup hadn't held her. One of the towers had shattered and melted, but Elsa fixed it with a flick of the wrist. She didn't even hesitate.

"I thought you didn't like the castle," Valerie said, twisting around to see Elsa. "You wanted to destroy it."

"I don't like it," Elsa admitted. "It holds too many bad memories. But I wanted you to see it one last time."

"Are you going to destroy it now?" the little girl asked, eyes wide.

Elsa hesitated a second. "Yes. Toothless, stay steady for me."

Gently, she put a hand on Hiccup's shoulder and shakily got to her feet. Once she got her balance, she let go, took a deep breath, and thrust both arms toward her creation. The whole mountain shook, and the snow above the palace began to shift down. From the top down, the ice shattered and fell like a waterfall. The avalanche of snow buried the remaining shards within seconds, and the palace was gone. For a long moment, only the wind howled in their ears. Slowly, Elsa sank back into her seat.

"Wow," Valerie whispered. Hiccup agreed. It was quite impressive.

"Good job," Jack said proudly.

"Now that that's behind us," Elsa said, shaking it off. "Let's fly down and see the Southern Isles, shall we?"

"Good idea," Hiccup agreed.

"Can we go higher?" Valerie asked.

Hiccup grinned and Toothless turned almost vertical as he flapped into the clouds. The girls screamed in surprise and held on tight. They went so high it almost hurt to breathe, and then Toothless fell. The plummet was the best part, so terrifying and exhilarating all at once. Hiccup laughed as Zephyr's wild unchecked hair streamed behind her and into his face, and Astrid wrapped her arms around his waist, even though she knew Toothless would never let her fall...

 _That's not Astrid._

The realization hit him hard, so hard that Toothless felt it and immediately evened out his flight. Of course, it wasn't Astrid. He hadn't flown with Astrid...he hadn't seen Astrid in so long, and he had seen Elsa standing on Toothless just a few minutes ago.

"How's everyone doing?" Jack asked, flying backward beside them. He was smiling, but he looked directly at Hiccup. He knew.

"Let's do it again!" Valerie exclaimed.

"Only if it's ok with Hiccup," Elsa said between breaths. She sounded excited but also worried.

 _Maybe she can sense it, too._

 _You've never been good at hiding your feelings._

 _Gee, thanks._ "Hey, I know," he added aloud. "How would you like to fly Toothless?"

"Me? I don't know how!"

"Don't worry, he can fly himself. But you can tell him which way to go."

Hiccup showed her how to use the reins—Zephyr's old reins when she first started—then had Toothless fly up. He grabbed his helmet from the satchel and strapped it on.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Elsa asked suspiciously.

"I'm going to need you to let go," he said, muffled through the helmet.

"Let go?"

"Trust me!"

Reluctantly, Elsa released her grip and Hiccup tilted off Toothless. She reached out in surprise, but it was too late. Toothless fell after him, and together they sliced through the air.

 _On three!_ Hiccup called. _One, two…_

 _Three!_ Toothless finished.

Both sets of wings went out at the same time, and they jolted into a glide. Hiccup had ended up a little higher than Toothless, so he could watch. Valerie and Elsa looked up and waved at him, and he smiled back. He was far enough removed that he could still hear their conversations, but couldn't participate in them. Perfect.

"Hey, you ok?" Jack appeared next to him.

"Yeah, yeah. I just need some time to think."

Jack didn't buy it. "Something's bothering you. What?"

"Not now. Not here."

"Do we need to head back?"

"Not yet." Hiccup glanced down at the girls. "They're having so much fun."

But Jack shook his head. "Elsa's not. I mean, she's had her moments, but she's just putting on a good face for Valerie."

"Oh. We'll stay a little longer. I think that's the Southern Isles up ahead, isn't it?"

 _You're just putting it off_ , the little voice in his head taunted. Hiccup ignored it.

* * *

"Halloo, Hiccup!" Merida called cheerily. "Ah haven't seen yew in awhile!"

"Hey, Mer," he called, wearily slipping off Toothless and onto the mossy floor of her camp.

"If Ah'm going to be sarcastic about you stayin', the least you could dew is be sarcastic back," Merida said.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "Are you getting tired of me yet?"

"No, not at all," she said gently. "But Ah think you need to figure out whatever it is you're trying to figure out soon. Yew can't avoid the others fer long, especially since we're all moving in together."

"I'm not avoiding them."

"Mm hm," she said, pursing her lips. "Rapunzel told me that Elsa saw _yew_ yesterday in south Europe, and you promptly turned in the opposite direction and didn't even wave. Yew didn't even tell me that."

"I just didn't think it was important…"

"Oh, come on, Hiccup. Yew haven't seen any o' them in months. Rapunzel was here today and we talked. _Again_. Something is going on and we need to make sure you're ok. If you need your space, that's fine. Just tell us. But the rest of the Companions, if that's what we still are to yew, are going to move in a few weeks."

"Wait, what?"

Merida sighed dramatically and sat cross-legged on the ground. "Arendelle isn't safe anymore. Too many people distrust magic, if they believe at all. So we're going build a headquarters in that secret valley where Rapunzel grew up. We were thinking about doing a treehouse, like the one we stayed in when we lived in the cavemen times."

"Yeah, yeah," he said distractedly. "That sounds great. Just the four of us?"

"Anna and Elsa will join when someone else takes the throne."

"Oh." Merida squinted at him suspiciously, and Hiccup stood to escape her gaze. "Can I have my dinner, please?"

" _No_ ," Merida said firmly, standing between Hiccup and the fire. "No food until we talk."

 _I think you better talk with her_ , Toothless said. _She's starting to make even_ me _feel guilty._

"It's Elsa, isn't it?" she asked. Hiccup blinked, unsure how to respond. "Ha! Gotcha. Sit down yew big baby, ya can't run away from this."

Sighing, Hiccup sat down with his back against Toothless. "Ok, fine," he admitted. "I think that maybe…yes."

"So, yew think maybe yes you like Elsa," Merida nodded wisely. "Yew seem very certain. So why do you keep avoiding her?"

"Because I don't know what to do. I don't know how she feels, or even if _I_ want this. But I know that I can't hide it from her. She'd sense it the second we got too close."

"Och, she'd know that whether or not she's the Guardian of Love," Merida laughed. "Face it, you've never been good at hiding your feelings."

Hiccup smiled wryly. "So I've been told."

"That's not the only reason why yew try to avoid her, is it?"

"No," he sighed, shaking his head. "It's…" he stopped, thinking for a minute. "I first started realizing it after we went on a flight with Valerie. Merida, that was the happiest I think I've felt in so long…but I thought I was with Zephyr and Astrid."

"Oh." She was silent for a long time, absentmindedly stirring the stew. Finally, she asked, "Are yew feeling guilty about this? Or weird because they knew each other? Look, Hiccup, I don't think you'll ever stop missing Astrid, and Ah don't think yew should. But yew've got to move on. Why does this bother yew so much all o' a sudden?"

"Pitch. It was part of his attacks. I was about to break free when he showed me Elsa first, then Astrid."

"Ah, I see. I knew som'tin brutal must'a happened. Did she yell at yew?" Hiccup nodded. "So did me mum. All o' our worst nightmares seemed so real that day...even though they were centuries old fer us. But like Ah said, it's been several centuries. I know yew loved 'er. But you can't just grieve and pine for her for all eternity."

"But what would Astrid think about all this?"

"She won't think anything, she's dead," Merida said bluntly. "Although, now that yew mention it, she did leave me a message to relay in case you ever got ta this point in life."

"Really?" Hiccup asked.

Merida nodded solemnly, taking a golden tube out of her knapsack. It was one of Toothiana's memory capsules.

"I brought her to see Toothiana," Merida said quietly. "We were able to make this with a little bit of magic."

Hiccup took it gingerly, almost afraid to touch it. "What do I need to do?"

"Just rub your fingers along the top," Merida instructed. "And yew better sit down. Toothy said it can be a bit of a shock."

 _Will you be ok?_ Toothless asked.

 _I think so. Let's try to stay mentally linked. You might be able to see it too._

Hands shaking, Hiccup let his fingertips fall across the golden scales, barely brushing against them. Just like in Atlantis, he was transported back to New Berk. But this time, it was a real memory, just not one he had lived. Astrid stood on a cliff overlooking the sea, looking as young and strong as he had remembered her.

"Hello, Hiccup," she said gently. He gasped painfully at the sound of her voice. "I don't know where you actually are right now. You stayed for your mother's funeral and then you left. But I've seen how much it's affected you and it started me thinking. Now, I should have told you this when I saw you back in Arendelle, only I was too young and naive to think about it. And now you're too young and naive to think about it in my timeline. But I'm going to tell you now. This might seem a bit strange, but I think it's the only way you're going to accept it."

She took a deep breath and looked out toward the sea. Then she turned with a sudden ferocity he knew all too well.

"Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third!" she yelled. "Stop this moping and move on with your life. I am not worth it for you to feel sorry for yourself for years on end, so grow up. I don't know how long it's been, but if you have feelings for somebody else, then it's been long enough! If you've found someone, that's great. Don't deprive them of a wonderful relationship because you're feeling guilty about what I would think. You wanna know what I think? I know that just because you've started liking somebody else doesn't mean that you never loved me. Anyone you've found will be so..." Her angry facade fell away in an instant, despite her will to stay angry. "...incredibly lucky to have you," she finished, her voice breaking. "And in the past ten years, you have been the greatest chief...the most devoted husband...and the best father...that anyone could ever have. But that's all in your past now." She took another deep breath to steady herself, returning to her fiery self. "What good will it do to me if you don't go after somebody just for my sake? I'm dead. I don't care. I mean, I do at this point because I'm still alive, but for the future you who's seeing this...I'm gone. I can't come back. So it doesn't do me any good, it doesn't do you any good, and it certainly doesn't do whoever you've fallen for any good either. Don't waste this opportunity. You like someone. Maybe they like you, I don't know. The question is...what are you going to do about it?"

The memory faded, and suddenly Merida was sitting across from him. Toothless nudged him gently.

 _Did you see?_

 _I saw it,_ Toothless answered.

Hiccup couldn't help smiling, though his eyes were misty. "She knew me so well, didn't she?"

"I think she knew yew better than yew did," Merida said. "And I, for one, think this is a great match; you complement each other so well. You beat Jack and Rapunzel on that round. Think about it: Friendship and Love are more evenly matched than Fun and Creativity. So are yew gonna talk ta Elsa or naught?"

Hiccup looked at Toothless, who nodded eagerly. "Ok," he said, taking a deep breath. "Let's do this."


	9. Chapter 9: Fire and Ice

He was told Elsa was in the forests of Bulgaria, so he and Toothless spent a whole day combing the woods trying to find her. Finally, they landed in a glen to rest. It was cloudy and the snow lay thick on the trees; not exactly the most romantic spot in the world, but Hiccup didn't want to wait any longer.

 _Maybe she's not here_ , Toothless suggested. _Maybe she had another mission and went somewhere else._

Hiccup sighed. _Maybe you're right, bud. Maybe we should head back to Arendelle and wait._

Crack! A branch laden with ice snapped off and fell to the ground, releasing a cloud of snow. Hiccup leapt to his feet and instinctively drew his fire sword. Toothless went on high alert, ears perked and eyes narrowed. A bolt of ice came speeding towards him out of nowhere, and he barely managed to shatter it with his sword. The shattering sound was followed by a scream.

"Hiccup! Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't realize that was you!"

Elsa stumbled out of the wood, looking a little frazzled. Hiccup grinned, relieved to find her at last.

"No, it's fine. Actually, that was pretty cool, did you see it?"

"No," Elsa said. "I was too busy closing my eyes."

"Do it again."

"What?"

"Trust me! Come on, hit me with your best shot."

Almost reluctantly, but still curious, Elsa fired another blast and Hiccup shattered it. The effect of fire on ice was breathtaking, and it captivated her. Again and again she shot snow and ice, and Hiccup countered each one, moving closer and closer towards her.

"Wait, I have an idea!" she said.

Carefully, she rubbed her palms together, focusing her gaze on Hiccup's sword. Slowly, she separated her hands and created a shining ice sword, a mirror image of Hiccup's. Her eyes shone with anticipation as she tested the swing.

"Now," she said, "we can duel."

Hiccup grinned and Toothless flew to a nearby tree to watch the show. Elsa's blade flew fast, but Hiccup parried each and every one. The ice cracked and nearly melted several times, but she always managed to fix it right before it splintered off. Sparks flew like fireworks as Elsa relaxed and grew more comfortable with the sword.

Their blades crossed, grating against each other with neither giving way. In that moment, as their faces were inches away, both of them stopped hiding at the same time. In a rush, Hiccup felt their heartbeats become one, and he knew that she felt the same.

"Where did you learn to fight like this?" he laughed.

Talking was a mistake. Elsa slipped in and flipped his sword out of his hand. It twirled through the air and landed in a snow drift, effectively extinguishing the flame. Hiccup stared open-mouthed as Elsa calmly repaired her ice.

"I learned from watching you," she replied evenly.

Hiccup sheathed his sword, shaking off the snow. "How long?" he asked.

"How long what?" Elsa asked. "Are you talking about the sword...or you?"

"Me!"

"I've always admired you," she said, sighing. "But it wasn't until the cavemen incident that I really started noticing."

"All the way back then?"

"You did so much for Anna, and then for Lilith. But you had Astrid, so I forced myself to forget. I focused on raising Lilith and rebuilding the kingdom. Then when she died…" Elsa paused, trying to fight back the emotions.

"You didn't feel like living anymore," Hiccup said understandingly.

" _Exactly_. But then you helped me see that you can get through the pain and keep living. You were one of my reasons to keep living. And then we went on that flight with Valerie and it was just…" she smiled, trying to find the words. "We were like a family. It was so happy and it meant so much. But then you left." Her face fell and her hands shook. "I was worried that you still weren't over Astrid and I must have done something wrong or…"

"Hey," he said quietly, putting both hands over her cheeks. "It's ok. I had a moment. I had to come to terms with it. But thanks to Toothiana and Merida, plus a little memory magic...I'm ok now. I'm ready."

He leaned forward and kissed her, and Elsa was caught up in the wave of exhilaration. Hiccup pulled back and rested his forehead on hers, but she was speechless.

"That was your first kiss, wasn't it?"

"Yes," she breathed. "I'm sorry, you must have had hundreds, this isn't special…"

"Well, it's my first one with you, isn't it? That makes it special."

Elsa smiled softly. "Yes. But not so special that we have to wait a while before the second?"

"I think you'll find that the second time is just as magical."

* * *

Merida appeared in Arendelle's castle with a spark of blue light, startling Rapunzel working in the garden.

"Well, Ah convinced him ta do it!" she exclaimed proudly.

Rapunzel brushed the dirt off her dress and stood to greet her. "Convinced who to do what now?"

"Hiccup," she grinned, so excited she could barely speak. "When 'e came home yesterday morning and I talked some sense into him!"

"Just 'talked?'" Rapunzel asked skeptically, trying to hide her growing excitement.

"Well, Ah may 'ave had to slap a little pinch of logic into him as well," Merida admitted, shrugging. "But he did it! He went to find Elsa and he hasn't been back since!"

Rapunzel clapped her hands and squealed with delight. "Yes!" she sighed. "It's about time! Thanks, Mer, I knew he'd listen to you."

Jack and Valerie landed between them, Val still screaming in joy from their flight.

"Everything ok?" he asked. "I heard screaming _over_ Valerie's screaming. So it's gotta be more important than when Anna told us she adopted a dog, which is what happened last time you screamed."

"Hiccup just went to talk with Elsa yesterday!" Rapunzel said, shaking him in excitement. Valerie ran off to explore the garden.

"About what? Did she adopt a dragon?" he mocked.

Merida and Rapunzel exchanged glances. "Please tell me he isn't _that_ oblivious," Merida said.

"I'm sorry, did I miss something?" Jack asked, casually leaning against his staff.

Rapunzel checked to make sure Valerie was out of hearing. "Hiccup and Elsa are in love, Jack."

"Wait, WHAT?" he yelped as his full body weight suddenly transferred to the staff and he fell over. "Since when?"

"Oh, it's 'appened gradually," Merida said in slight frustration. "Although that's only to be expected. But haven't you noticed they've both been avoiding each other in the past few months? They couldn't hide it from each other if they tried."

"But…but…" Jack stammered.

"I know!" Rapunzel squealed.

"But that would make Hiccup my son-in-law!" he exploded.

"Yes, dear, but let's not think about that. Technically Mavis sort of adopted Elsa for a time, which would make her my niece. We don't think about family bonds too deeply."

"But that relationship doesn't exist anymore!"

"Oi, don't rush things, Jack," Merida said. "They've only just confessed their undying love yesterday."

"Oh, boy," Jack sighed, brushing away the snowflakes that had started swirling around his head.

"I wonder how Anna will take it," Rapunzel wondered.

"GUYYSS!" Anna shrieked suddenly.

A portal had opened in the atrium that led to the garden. Anna ran out to them dragging a laughing Elsa behind her.

"MOM! YOU'LL NEVER GUESS WHAT FINALLY HAPPENED!"


End file.
